The Sword in the Stone
by Totally-Out-Of-It
Summary: The legend of Excalibur is not as simple as everyone thinks. Arthur pulls a sword from a stone, beginning a chain of events that will lead him to his destiny and the sorcerer prophesied to stand beside him. No set pairings.
1. The Sword in the Stone

So this week's episode is about the Fisher King, which while making me happy alerted me to the dire need to post this before I'm upstaged by BBC itself. I'll probably still post the part about the Fisher King (the 6th part in this series) after the episode of Merlin about it airs, but at least I've begun the process that will lead to it.

This idea came to me while researching Arthurian Legend (I can't remember if I had a purpose for the research in mind at the time anymore, but I was looking anyway) when I found out something interesting about Excalibur. So you get The Sword in the Stone series, in 14 parts. Each part will be a new chapter in this story.

Also, I started writing this before season 3 ever began airing, but I tried to include any details they mentioned in the new episodes that might affect what was going on in some chapter, so beware of season 1, 2, and 3 spoilers.

...

**The Sword in the Stone**

_In the middle of a political uproar, word spreads of a sword in a stone that can only be pulled out by the true King; the Once and Future King. Every noble in the land travels to test their worth but none can retrieve it. When Arthur releases the sword, how will the world react?_

….

….

Arthur sighed for the umpteenth time that hour. Merlin, seated across from him in the carriage, glanced up from the book he was reading.

"Do you need anything, sire? Something to stop the air from escaping?" he teased lightly.

Arthur frowned at him, but didn't seem to have the energy to care. He turned his attention out the window and watched the world pass by. He propped his elbow against the window ledge and his chin against his fist. "I don't understand why I must come to this meeting."

Merlin smiled. "Every noble in all of Albion is coming," he reminded his prince.

Arthur frowned deeper. "Yes, I'm aware of that, _Merlin_. I'm not an idiot." He leaned back in his seat and slouched. "But this is a magical event. I'm surprised father even considered coming, much less bringing me along with him."

His interest peaked, Merlin closed his book and leaned forward. "Magic? What sort of magic?"

Arthur sighed again. "The most powerful seer in the world let loose a proclamation: There is a sword in a stone just south of the Forest of Balor in the stone canyon of Balin. Only one in all of time has the right to pull the sword from the stone. He is the Once and Future King who will unite and rule over all of Albion in a glorious age of peace. Only he can release the sword," Arthur recited.

Merlin dropped his book, his mouth hanging open in blatant shock. "Wha…what?" he breathed out.

Arthur nodded in a way only a noble could. "Exactly. It makes no sense. I've never heard of anyone even considering trying to unite all of Albion. We make treaties, of course, but to be united under one ruler? I'm not sure any man has the right to that, sword or not." He frowned sadly. "I certainly don't."

Merlin shook his head. "No. You do. You have a kind and strong heart that understands and cares for the people, no matter their station. You could do it. I'm certain of that," he insisted.

In Merlin's eyes burned a fire of loyalty and truth that shocked and awed Arthur to the end of time. He would never understand this faith Merlin had in him. It made him feel warm inside and like he could conquer the world, so long as Merlin was at his side. Arthur shook his head, a blush creeping up his cheeks at the compliment and his following thoughts, and looked out the window again.

"Whatever," he brushed it off. Merlin smiled anyway, knowing Arthur wasn't actually annoyed with him. "The point is," Arthur continued. "That canyon is on Camelot land. Whether or not we want to believe the seer's words, we have to go and make sure no visiting lord takes this opportunity to invade."

Ah, right. Merlin leaned back in his seat. Right now, all of Albion was in a vicious political struggle. Every treaty currently in valid existence was being threatened by all the tension. It had all started when one king accused another of doing something or other to him. The second king got angry and called on his allies, who came to back him up. Then the first king called on his allies too. But some of the second king's allies were allies with some of the first king's allies and so on and so forth. It had all become so convoluted that Merlin wasn't sure which king started this whole mess any more. Actually, the world was balanced on the edge of a knife and the smallest movement would send everything tumbling into a disastrous war with countless casualties. The seer's words had put a hold on all of that.

No doubt every noble in Albion wanted to try and pull the sword from the stone to prove they were the best; to prove they were right. Depending on how the man who pulled the sword from the stone behaved, this could stop the war before it ever began. Looking at Arthur across from him, Merlin gave a little smile. Arthur was the Once and Future King who would unite the lands of Albion. He would pull the sword from the stone and put a stop to the war.

Arthur caught sight of the smile and scowled. "What? What's with the smile? You don't get a chance to pull the sword out, you know," he reminded in an almost cruel tone of voice.

Merlin smiled wider and clasped his hands together with his elbows on his knees. "No, I know," he agreed pleasantly. "I just get the feeling this will all end well."

Arthur's frown deepened in his confusion. "Huh? What are you babbling about?"

Merlin shook his head and bent to pick his book up from the floor of the carriage. He began reading again, completely (or mostly) ignoring the questioning looks Arthur kept throwing him.

...

…

The Canyon of Balin was quite the sight to see. Even without all the people gathered, the cliff faces and the shades of the stones that lined the walls were fantastic. The walls of the canyon were a good fifty feet high, with narrow roads etched into the walls. The canyon was several hundred feet long but only about three hundred feet across. People from every nation were camped in this great ravine. Merlin watched from the carriage window as they slowly descended into the deep and saw King Cendred's colors and the crests from many of the distinguished houses of his home country. The same was true for every land. There were so many tents and so many nobles that the camps had spread to the land outside of the canyon, high above the main attraction.

From high above, it was easy to see the stone in the center of the canyon and the glistening beautiful sword it held captive. Merlin blinked at it curiously, wishing he could get a closer look. Even now, he could see men of all ages in a circle around the stone as others took turns trying to pull the sword out.

"Pull your head in, Merlin," Arthur ordered in a drawl. "We can't have people thinking we're tourists in our own country, after all." Merlin did as he was told without complaint.

When they arrived at the bottom of the canyon, Merlin opened the carriage door and jumped out, setting a two-step stool just outside the door. Arthur then exited like the groomed horse he was, all decked out in the royal robes with his crown in place and his head held high. Once he was out, Merlin set the steps back inside the carriage and closed the door.

Arthur walked in the direction of his father's tent, where his own was also being set up. He gave the sword in the stone and the ring of nobles around it a good twenty foot berth. If Merlin didn't know better, he'd think Arthur was afraid of the sword.

"Father," Arthur greeted as he walked into the grand tent that held Camelot's king.

Uther looked up from the table he was bent over. On the table were the crests of all the houses camped in or near the canyon. "Ah, Arthur. Finally. I need you to go and pull that sword from the stone."

"What?" Arthur gasped out, looking like he'd been told the sky was actually pink and Merlin was a woman.

"You must pull the sword from the stone, or Camelot is ruined," Uther continued. "None of the men out there can be trusted if they managed to pull the sword from the stone. All of them will use the influence they gain to destroy our kingdom."

"Well, father, if any of them actually _did_ pull the sword from the stone," Arthur paused briefly when Uther gave him a hard look, but continued after only a breath's time, "then they would be the rightful ruler of all of Albion and it would only be a matter of time before all the lands were under one name."

"Do not tell me you actually _believe_ that sorcerer's words," Uther bit out in a quiet, dangerous voice. "No one who uses magic can be trusted. They are all out for their own benefit."

Arthur held his father's gaze for seven seconds before he lowered his eyes to the ground. "I will do my best, father," he acquiesced with a small bow before turning and leaving the tent. Merlin followed close behind.

They headed directly for the circle of men around the sword. Arthur didn't say a word. They were almost to the stone when Merlin finally tried to make conversation. "Arthur-"

"Can you believe him?" Arthur asked, stopped suddenly. Merlin nearly ran right into him. "No magic can be trusted," he scoffed. "If I managed to yank that thing out of that stone, he'll claim he believes every word and that I really am the rightful ruler of Albion. Sometimes," Arthur admitted, looking at Merlin, "I think all he cares about is power. Sometimes I think he's just as bad as Hengist and Cendred, always wanting more and more."

Merlin wasn't sure how to respond to that. Should he smile and agree with Arthur, or would that be bad? He gave a lopsided, nervous grin and Arthur seemed to snap out of whatever strange state he'd fallen into. He quickly looked away and over at the ring of men around the stone. From here you could just see the head of the man currently trying to pull the sword out.

"Magic," Arthur breathed out. Merlin kept his eyes trained on Arthur's face, trying to read his expressions. "I'm not sure I ever told you this, Merlin, but…When you were poisoned and dying, and I rode out to the Forest of Balor to find that flower….I would have died had it not been for some magic."

"What?" Merlin asked quietly.

Arthur shook his head and looked away from the stone to some point far off to his left. "There was a woman, a sorceress. She tried to kill me. I nearly died by magic. But then, in my darkest hour, when I thought all hope was lost….Someone sent me a light. A strange, blue orb rose from the deep and led me to safety. I know it was magic." He shook his head, took a deep breath, and turned to look at Merlin again. "Ever since then, I've found it harder and harder to believe my father when he says all those who use magic are evil."

Merlin found it hard to breathe for a few moments. Arthur…. He blinked and came back to himself. "But," he contradicted, "What about Morgause?"

Arthur's eyebrows came together and a sour expression overtook his face. "Yes….She was a particularly bad witch, wasn't she?" He sighed heavily. "She nearly managed to make me kill my own father. I owe you for that time; for stopping me." He waved his hand around like that would make the subject go away. "But that was one witch. Your friend Will was a sorcerer, right? He wasn't evil. He actually helped us save your village."

Merlin lowered his eyes to the ground in shame. "Y-yea," he agreed softly.

Arthur narrowed his eyes at Merlin's reaction. Before he could do anything about it, however, shouting came from the ring of men around the sword. Both Arthur and Merlin stared at it in shock. Had someone….

Merlin took off running, pushing his way through the crowd until he was able to see what had happened. The sword was still in the stone. Merlin took in a huge gulp of air in relief. Of course it hadn't been pulled out. Arthur was the Once and Future King of Albion, and no one else could be. But then…what was everyone yelling about?

Looking just a bit further down from the sword, Merlin saw a man holding his arm in pain. There was blood all down his arm from his elbow to his fingertips. "What?" Merlin breathed out.

"Stupid bastard cut himself trying to pull the sword out," a noble dressed in the colors of Mora, south of Camelot, said. "You would think after five futile minutes that he would have given up. I am surprised at how many idiots are here," the man scoffed.

"Such as mine," Arthur grumbled, grabbing Merlin's head and pushing down. Merlin griped as he was shoved to his knees. "Stop acting important and go help Gaius bandage the man," he ordered bitterly.

"I-!" Merlin stopped when he realized how many nobles were in the area, and how many were staring at him. "Yes, sire," he agreed quietly before hurrying into the clearing to where Gaius was just kneeling by the poor sap.

Arthur sighed as Merlin hurried off. He drew himself up to his full height and then, with all the grace he could muster, sauntered through the clearing around the sword and up onto the large stone holding it hostage. "Not like it matters," he murmured to himself, rubbing his hands together lightly.

After only a moment's pause, he grabbed the sword. Merlin looked up at him just as Arthur lifted up. The sword came out of the stone as if the stone weren't really there. Arthur held it up with shock on his face to the gasps of the men around him.

"It's….That was easy," he let out, dumbstruck.

"What?" the man on the ground yelled angrily. "Easy? I nearly lost my whole arm! It was not easy!"

"Maybe not for you," Merlin said easily. "But for Arthur….for the Once and Future King of all Albion," he looked into Arthur's eyes with pride burning all through his being, "it was a piece of cake."

"Like hell!" Another man shouted, and many others soon joined in. Arthur looked around in stupid fascination.

They were just like his father. Because they weren't the ones to pull the sword from the stone, the whole thing was a sham just so Camelot could rule. It would do no good for Arthur to tell them he hadn't even wanted to try to pull the sword out, or that his father would never resort to such stupid measures. They would simply think he was lying.

"Put the sword back in the stone! I bet now that you've undone whatever you did, it'll be easy!" the first man who shouted said.

"No!" another claimed. "I'll put it back! That way…we'll know it's not a trick!"

"Yea!" a bunch of the men agreed.

Arthur saw a servant running toward his father's tent. He sighed. Perfect. The second man ran up and practically tore the sword from Arthur's hands. Arthur stood tall as the man pushed the sword easily back into the magical stone. The man gave him a glare and Arthur stepped back off the platform to stand by Merlin, Gaius, and the injured noble.

The man tugged and pulled and heaved with all his might, but nothing worked. Then it began again. All the nobles wanted another try. Now that it had been pulled once, it should be easy to pull it again, right? But they all failed to pull the sword from the stone.

Arthur was barely paying attention. He was staring at his hands in awe. It was finally hitting him that it had been him who pulled the sword from the stone. Him. Arthur Pendragon. But he wasn't worthy. He wasn't a good enough Prince, let alone a King. If he tried to rule all of Albion, there was no doubt in his mind that he would fail.

"_I just get the feeling this will all end well."_

Arthur's eyes widened and he turned to look at Merlin, who also wasn't giving the sword a second look. It was as if he knew that Arthur really was the only one who could pull it out…

"_We make treaties, of course, but to be united under one ruler? I'm not sure any man has the right to that, sword or not." Arthur frowned sadly. "I certainly don't."_

_Merlin shook his head. "No. You do. You have a kind and strong heart that understands and cares for the people, no matter their station. You could do it. I'm certain of that," he insisted._

Merlin…He'd known all along. Or rather, he'd believed Arthur could be the sort of King this sign showed he must be.

Arthur's thoughts were cut off when a large man grabbed him by the collar of his robes. "Pull it out," he huffed out in a dangerous whisper.

"What?" Arthur asked back, anger tingeing his voice.

The man gripped Arthur's shirt tighter. "If you're such a high and mighty destined King….then pull it out again," he challenged. "You should be able to manage that at least, right?"

Arthur put his hands on the larger man's hands and pried them off his shirt. The larger man was shocked at Arthur's physical strength and backed off as soon as Arthur released him. "Fine," Arthur accepted. "If it will shut your mouth."

He walked up the stone again with all the poise of a nobleman's son, but inside he was shaking beyond belief. Could he really be the Once and Future King? Staring at the sword, Arthur was frightened. He wouldn't admit it, but he was scared out of his mind. He looked over at Merlin, who was staring straight back at him with surety in his gaze, and all his fears were whisked away.

Merlin believed in him. Merlin would stand by him through it all. Maybe….Maybe he could do this after all.

With a deep breath, Arthur grabbed the sword and easily lifted it out of the stone. The other nobles stood in shock for several quiet moments, and then they all dropped to one knee. About that time, Uther came hurrying over. He stared in shock and awe at his son standing on the stone holding the magic sword, but did not kneel.

Suddenly, a light flashed through the area and when the world had righted itself, a woman with long chocolate brown hair stood across from Arthur on the stone. Arthur took a half step back from her in surprise but otherwise held his ground. Merlin stood in defense but did not move.

The witch smiled. "Congratulations, Prince Arthur," she began in a happy voice. "By facing your fears, you have made it to this point. Now, my King, you must find those noble men to sit at your table….and rely on they that are truly trustworthy and loyal to you." Merlin could have sworn she looked right at him when she said that. "I give to you the last of my proclamation."

All those in the canyon listened, and though she was quite far from some they all could hear her.

"The sword you have claimed, young Pendragon, is magic but for one reason: to identify the One true King of Albion. There is another sword; your true sword. That sword, which will aid you in uniting all the lands of Albion, was forged long ago…in fire and faith. And though this new sword is a formidable weapon….your greatest asset in all that you do, is the wizard that stands beside you."

Merlin felt all the air rush from his lungs just as Uther shouted in indignation. The whole crowd turned to look at the King as he made his way to the stone. "No!" Uther repeated. "No son of mine will rule with the likes of sorcerers."

"Father," Arthur tried.

"No, Arthur," Uther cut him off. He glared at the seer. "This is simply a trick. A way for magic to overtake the land and usurp all our powers," he said, motioning to the crowd.

"Father, stop," Arthur ordered calmly, quietly.

"This _witch_ is no different from any of her kind. They want to rule over everything and send it all to death and corruption," Uther continued.

"_Stop_!" Arthur shouted, stabbing the sword harshly back into the stone with a clang. Uther shut his mouth and stared at his son in shock, like the rest of the nobles gathered. "_Enough_, father. _Magic_ chose me to be King someday. Magic has saved my life, and that of Camelot, several times over! If this…._seer_…says that I'll meet a sorcerer who is good and loyal and will help me rule justly….then I choose to believe it." He stood tall. "Take that as you will."

There was silence for several long moments. The seer didn't move. No one moved. Not even the wind blew. Then someone started clapping. In less than a minute, every noble was giving Arthur a standing ovation. Arthur, and Uther, looked around with wide eyes.

"My Lord Pendragon," the seer said calmly, the smile still on her face. The clapping stopped almost instantly when everyone realized the seer was talking. "I wish you luck in your glorious future."

"Wait," Arthur said suddenly. The seer tilted her head slightly, showing her curiosity. "How will I know if a sorcerer I meet is the one you said is true?" He didn't want to accidentally trust a Morgause instead.

The seer smiled. "Your sorcerer….is the one who will give you your sword. He will be the one who hands you the true sword that you were meant to take up, the sword that can defeat any enemy living or dead and will never fail you unless you cast it away."

Arthur nodded. Uther's eyes were wide. The seer vanished just as suddenly as she'd appeared. Arthur stepped down off the rock and was instantly surrounded by nobles all wanting to congratulate him and compliment him. Most of it was simple flattery as they all hoped for high positions in Arthur's coming kingdom, but Arthur accepted it all the same. Uther, on the other hand, looked straight at Merlin. Merlin was helping Gaius finish bandaging the injured noble's arm with a huge beaming smile on his face.

Merlin had given Uther the sword that defeated the undead wraith that was Igraine's brother. Merlin had had that sword specially made for Arthur for that battle. He'd been adamant that only Arthur use it….Only Arthur. The sword that said "Take Me Up" and "Cast Me Away."

Merlin was a sorcerer.

….

….

How am I doing? Like it? Hate it? Constructive criticism?

….

**Next Time: The First Challenger**

_Pelleas of Mora comes to Camelot to challenge Arthur. If he loses, he'll serve Arthur until the end of his days. If he wins, he gets the Sword from the Stone and all that that entails. Also, Uther looks into the Merlin issue._

…

…

Note: I'll be using spells in this story. All translations come from two online Old English translators/dictionaries: www. oldenglishtranslator .co .uk and home. comcast .net/~modean52/oeme_ dictionaries. htm

I must apologize in advanced in case anyone who reads these knows old English. I know nothing of old English and all I did was pick words that matched what I needed. I don't know anything about proper sentence structure or grammar or anything.


	2. The First Challenger

So I got such a phenomenal response to the first chapter (14 reviews in one day. XO') that I decided to post the second part only a day later. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! (lots of hugs all around!)

Also: HEY! Just so you know, there are TWO authors on this name! My name is Jessica and I AM NOT the writer of Beyond My Touch; that is my sister, Rebecca. Her next story will come out soon, but it is not this!

I hope any readers of her fics will still read this though, I just thought I'd let you know this isn't the story she promised she was working on.

...

**The First Challenger**

Pelleas of Mora comes to Camelot to challenge Arthur. If he loses, he'll serve Arthur until the end of his days. If he wins, he gets the Sword from the Stone and all that that entails. Also, Uther looks into the Merlin issue.

….

….

Arthur stood in his room, staring at the sword in his hands. It had taken four days to return to Camelot, to the castle. Arthur had been delayed by nobleman after nobleman wanting to talk to him. Now, in the quiet of his room, Arthur felt his worries returning.

The sword in his hands was beautiful. The balance was just a hair off perfect. Arthur had never seen its equal. Could he really wield such a weapon? Was it truly magical? Did this really mean he was destined to be the King of all Albion, or would he be King of all Albion simply because every noble saw him pull a sword from a stone that supposedly only the King of all Albion could pull?

The door to his bedroom opened suddenly and Arthur turned to glare at Merlin bringing him his breakfast. Merlin set the food down and situated it the way Arthur liked it with a smile on his face the whole time. Heck, he was practically humming.

"What has you so happy this morning?" he asked curiously, with a tinge of his usual annoyance to it.

Merlin shrugged. "You're on your way to becoming the greatest King in all of history," he said like it was nothing, turning to give Arthur a personal smile of his own. "You're going to do great things. I'm really proud of you, that's all." Then he returned to doing his morning chores.

And just like that, Merlin did exactly as he'd done a few days previous. He took all of Arthur fears and worries and blew them away like dust in the wind. It was like magic. Merlin's faith in Arthur was like indestructible armor keeping Arthur's bravery intact. It had always been that way, since the day after he defeated Valiant. For that, he owed Merlin more than he could say.

Arthur cleared his throat, looking away from Merlin and out his window. "_Merlin_," he began in a drawl. "Don't be such an idiot. You're a _servant_. There's no reason to be proud." He paused for a moment, his eyes searching the outside. "Go…muck out my stables."

Merlin grinned wryly. "Certainly, _sire_," he half-laughed. "Enjoy your breakfast."

Arthur frowned deeper as Merlin left the room. Dang. Merlin could see right through him these days. There was no way to hide his feelings from his servant anymore. They were friends, down to the core, and Arthur couldn't hide it any longer. At least, not from Merlin. The rest of the world was another story.

His father was in a category all his own. If he learned Arthur was friends with Merlin….Morgana, sure thing. She could be friends with every female servant until the city burned silver and dogs spoke English. Arthur….Arthur was expected to befriend only knights and nobles and no one lesser. Merlin was, position-ally speaking, lesser. And yet, Arthur considered Merlin his greatest and most loyal friend. He just hoped his father didn't find out.

…

Arthur was eating dinner with his father when Sir Leon walked in. They both watched him make his way over to the table, give a deep bow of apology, and then stand at attention. "I'm sorry to disturb you, my lords."

"What is it?" Uther asked calmly, wiping his mouth subtly on a napkin.

Sir Leon nodded his head. "A….uh….knight," he said, half in question, "has arrived this evening. He wishes to challenge Prince Arthur in a duel."

"A duel?" Arthur asked. "Well then, I acc-"

"The winner," Leon interrupted with a slight wince, "Gets your new sword, sire," he explained. "I think he wants to be King of all Albion."

"What?" Uther hissed. "It hasn't been a week since he pulled the sword out and already the other nobles are revolting against him!"

Arthur shook his head. "If he presents a valid challenge, then I am duty bound to accept." He looked into his father's outraged face with faked calmness. "What sort of ruler would I be if I didn't uphold the knight's code? If I was too cowardly to defend my title?" He stood up and bowed to his father before turning to the knight. "Take me to him."

"As…you wish, sire," the knight said, bowing to Arthur and Uther in turn before leading Arthur from the room.

…

…

The man standing in the courtyard before the main steps was dressed in chainmail, but other than that it was obvious he was no knight. He had no crest on his tunic, which was fraying and torn in places. His hair was messily combed and his face was badly shaven, with patches missed in places, but at least he'd tried. He was probably….four or five years Arthur's senior.

"What's this?" Arthur asked, almost letting out a laugh. "He isn't a knight," he said to the knight who had retrieved him.

"I may not be of noble blood," the man said, standing tall and strong, "but the seer never said the king had to be from a current noble family."

Interest captured, Arthur turned his full attention on the man before him. "This is true," he agreed with a little nod. "A king can be simply one of noble heart who comes into the correct circumstances. It would seem you think these are your circumstances?"

"I do not know, sire," the man said. "I simply wish to try."

"You want to dethrone me before I'm even King," Arthur half-joked.

The peasant shook his head. "Not at all. I want the right man on the throne, and I believe every man who wishes it should have a right to try for it."

"And how do you propose we give you a try? The Canyon of Balin is more than a day's ride away." Arthur already knew how.

"I propose we have a duel. If I win, I get the sword and all that that entails," the man said. "If I lose, I will serve you without fail until the end of time." He bowed his head and awaited Arthur's decision.

Arthur surveyed him with interest. Perhaps…. "I accept your challenge. What is your name?"

The man lifted his head, looking awestruck and joyful. "Pelleas, my lord. Pelleas of Mora."

Arthur grinned. "Mora?" He shrugged. "Alright then. Tomorrow our fight commences. I hope you're prepared."

Pelleas smiled and it looked like the sun.

…

…

"Merlin!"

Merlin looked up from his small dinner with Gaius just as Arthur walked into the room. He set his spoon down but didn't stand up. "Hm?"

Arthur came over and placed his hands on the table by Merlin. "I have a match tomorrow. I need you to polish my armor by the morning."

Merlin narrowed his eyes. "A match? You just got back," he protested like it was him who had to fight.

"It doesn't matter when I return to my city. If a challenge is presented, I can take it any time." He stood up straight.

"Who challenged you?" Gaius asked calmly.

Arthur gave a half shrug. "A man named Pelleas of Mora. He's a peasant." Gaius's jaw dropped.

"A peasant?" Merlin asked, surprised.

"He wants to challenge me for my position as Once and Future King," Arthur said matter-of-factly. "His challenge was valid, so I accepted." He shook his head once. "Just have my armor polished and ready by morning, Merlin, and be at my chambers _on time_." With that, he turned and left the room.

Once he was gone, Merlin turned to Gaius. "Should I be worried?"

Gaius shook his head and shrugged at the same time. "There are many who may not accept the idea of a single king ruling over all of Albion. Any one of them could potentially challenge Arthur for the throne. On the other hand, others could simply be testing him to see if he will make a good king." He looked away for a moment and then looked into Merlin's eyes. "There is reason to worry. We'll have to keep an eye out for any danger to Arthur's life."

"Right," Merlin nodded. "I'll go look up useful spells in the book." He stood from his chair.

"Ah," Gaius said and Merlin stopped. "Don't you think there's something else you need to do first?"

Merlin narrowed his eyes in confusion and concentration for a few moments and then shook his head. "What?"

"Arthur's armor?" Gaius prodded.

Merlin shut his eyes and groaned. "Gaius, don't you think learning how to protect Arthur is a bit more important than armor?"

Gaius shrugged, collecting the bowls from dinner and moving to clean them. "I don't know, but if the armor isn't done then there could be trouble in your future."

Merlin groaned again, more aggravated than before, and headed for the front door instead of his bedroom door.

…

…

"Ok," Merlin was saying as he and Arthur walked toward the stadium. "He's bigger than you, but he's not stronger. His sword is bigger too, so it'll be harder to swig fast. You're slower on your left side, so watch it because he probably knows it too and he'll aim there, probably higher up near your shoulder. Also-"

"Merlin," Arthur whined. "I've been trained since birth to be the strongest fighter alive." He stopped just out of sight of the stadium stands and turned to face Merlin. "I think I can handle it. _You_, on the other hand, only recently learned how to properly _hold_ a sword." He poked Merlin in the chest. "I don't think you need to be giving me advice."

Merlin looked indignant for a moment, and then smirked. "I still lasted more than a minute in free combat against the ultimate killing machine," he stated proudly.

Arthur raised an eyebrow, as if asking Merlin to explain himself, but he didn't. After a moment, he let out a harsh breath and gave Merlin a little shove, not hard, and then held himself tall and paraded out into the stadium to meet the challenger. Merlin grinned until Arthur was out of sight, then let it drop and hurried to the edge of the stands to peek out and keep watch.

"A week ago, Arthur Pendragon, my son, pulled a sword from a stone," Uther was saying. "Most nobles were there and had their chance to try and pull the sword out themselves. As you have stated, no peasants were allowed to give it a try. Not today. Pelleas of Mora, my son has accepted your challenge. This will be a private duel with, my ward," he motioned to Morgana, "four knights of Camelot," he motioned to the knights in the stands to his left, "three of my closest advisors," the men in the stands to his right, "and myself will be witnesses. You may begin at any time." He sat back in his chair.

Pelleas bowed deeply to the king and turned to Arthur. They bowed to each other and then got in the battle positions. Arthur struck first, right across the middle almost as if he were actually aiming for the shield Pelleas blocked him with and not Pelleas himself. Pelleas smiled at him over his shield before shoving the wood to the side and slashing forward himself, going straight for Arthur's gut. Arthur dodged backward in one great leap, shoved the sword to the right with his shield and then thrust forward with his sword. Pelleas threw his shield up and Arthur changed his attack, instead moving his sword sideways and wrenching the shield from Pelleas' hand and throwing it several feet to his left with the force behind his attack.

Pelleas gasped, watching his shield fly off. He looked at Arthur with shock on his face at how quickly he'd lost the protective circle. Arthur tossed his own shield away and took a hold of his sword with both hands, raising an eyebrow at Pelleas. Pelleas nodded his head to Arthur and took up his own position. He stabbed straight on, Arthur parrying easily and pushing him back two steps. Arthur waited, letting Pelleas gather himself for another attack. Pelleas let out a breath-like laugh and swung at Arthur from the left side. Arthur connected his sword with his opponent's, pushing back on it heavily and throwing the attack off and wide. Pelleas tried the same attack on Arthur's right side, his dominant side. Arthur smirked, catching Pelleas' sword with his own, flipping the opposing blade around his own a few times as he stepped closer, then wrenched the sword from Pelleas' hands in a similar fashion to how he'd taken the shield and left the point of his sword poised a fine tip away from Pelleas' neck.

For several seconds, both of them simply stood there breathing, and then Uther clapped his hands and the rest of the witnesses joined in. Compared to the applause of the multitude during a tournament, the ovation from only nine people was almost pathetic. Arthur lowered his sword and held it at his side. Pelleas bowed to Arthur before retrieving his sword and shield. He even brought Arthur's shield to him.

"Thank you," Arthur said with a short nod as he accepted his shield back.

Pelleas inclined his head. "If you wouldn't mind, sire," he began. Arthur waved Merlin over but kept most of his attention on Pelleas.

"What is it?" Arthur asked as Merlin arrived at his side with a cup of water each for them. Uther glared from the stands, suspiciously.

"Thank you," Pelleas said to Merlin, who nodded, before turning back to the Prince. "I was wondering, sire, if you wouldn't mind counting that last match as a practice duel….and letting me try again." Arthur nearly spit out his water. "I heard you replaced the sword in the stone and gave every man another go at pulling it out themselves at the canyon," Pelleas explained swiftly.

Arthur regarded him curiously, slowly handing his cup back to Merlin. Pelleas held Arthur's gaze. After a few moments Arthur nodded, also without breaking eye contact. "You know," he began conversationally, "only nobility is supposed to look a prince directly in the eyes." Pelleas's eyes widened. "I know of only two peasants besides yourself that have ever done that. One of them does it every day." His tone was chastening, but he was trying to hide his grin as he shot Merlin an amused look.

Merlin shrugged, accepting the cup back from Pelleas before hurrying out of the ring again. Pelleas watched him leave, his curiosity peaked now. The relationship between Prince Arthur and his servant was…interesting. Arthur turned to his father in the stands.

"I wish to renew Sir Pelleas' original challenge," he said loud enough for them all to hear. Every one of them leaned forward in their seats to hear him better, certain that they had heard wrong. What? "We will begin a new duel, immediately…and this will be the true duel to settle the issue." He nodded to the 'crowd' and then turned to Pelleas. "All ready?" he asked.

Pelleas nodded fervently before getting into position with his shield up to start with. "It's your start, sire."

Arthur grinned before beginning with a large, sweeping motion of his sword, the attack coming down on Pelleas' head. Pelleas threw his shield up higher, barely catching it before it could connect. He pushed backwards with more force than he'd shown the entire first duel, throwing Arthur back and almost off his feet. Arthur regained his balance and raised an eyebrow at Pelleas, who shrugged. Arthur took several steps forward, jabbing straight on at Pelleas's stomach. Pelleas threw his shield in the way, knocking Arthur's blade to the right, and then brought his sword up from below. Again Arthur barely managed to dodge backward. Pelleas didn't wait for him to gather himself, instead lunging straight into another attack, this time from the left side.

Arthur backed up and Pelleas followed, continuously launching attacks at Arthur left and right. Pelleas threw himself forward and glanced his sword off Arthur's shield. The blade caught in a break in the wood and ripped it from Arthur's hand. Arthur shook his hand, getting the tingling feeling to leave his fingers, before gripping his sword tight with both hands.

"I hope you don't mind, sire, but against the greatest warrior in all of Camelot…I'd like to keep my shield," Pelleas stated simply with a nod.

Arthur shrugged. "I don't begrudge you it."

Pelleas gave a small smile before attacking. He struck forward, again and again, aiming at Arthur's left hip almost every time. Arthur shoved him off but at the expense of being moved backward in a loop around the ring. Pelleas' movements slowed minutely as his arm grew tired from exertion and Arthur took the opportunity to dodge Pelleas' sword and ram his body into the older man's as hard as he could. Pelleas fell back, tripped over his own heels, and hit the dirt with the loud sound of scraping metal from his chainmail.

"Oof," he let out.

Arthur stood over him, sword at the ready. "Do you yield?" he asked.

Pelleas regarded Arthur, standing above him and wielding the sword he was fighting for, for a mere breath before shoving his shield into the sword and forcing it away from his chest. While Arthur was briefly distracted, Pelleas rolled away and jumped up into a defensive position while he tried to catch his breath.

"Very good," Arthur complimented before attacking for once.

He made a few feint attacks to the left and right as he stepped closer to the peasant, and then jabbed forward before changing and swinging in from the left. Pelleas spun away four steps to avoid it but Arthur was right there with him, prepared to strike as soon as the other man stopped spinning. Metal met metal as soon as he was stationary again. Pelleas pressed back against Arthur's sword forcefully, but neither man was moving an inch. Pelleas managed to pushed Arthur back a step and then swung hard and fast at Arthur's upper left shoulder.

Merlin held his breath from the side, unsure if he should interfere or not. Arthur threw his sword up just in time, catching the attack just as it touched the mail on his arm. "You know what?" he grunted out.

"What?" Pelleas answered in the same tone. Most of their energy was going into simply holding each other in that position.

"You may have a shield," Arthur managed. "But that means you only have one hand on your sword." He pressed back harder with his whole body and Pelleas was forced to back off.

He laughed under his breath. "This is true," he agreed, wiping sweat from his face. "But is it better to have both hands on the sword, or one hand on the sword and the other on better protection?" he said like it was some ancient proverb.

"Whichever way gets the desired result," Arthur concluded before attacking again.

He swung out and Pelleas parried it with his own sword. This happened three more times in three completely different positions and then Arthur knocked the sword from Pelleas' hand. Now all he had was a shield. Pelleas stared at his shield for a moment but had to use it a breath later to block Arthur's next sword swing. He took a deep breath and then ran forward with his shield blocking his head and upper chest, shoving Arthur backwards. He pushed Arthur right up against the wall and then backed off. Arthur fell to his side, feeling like all the air had been ejected from his lungs by a rampaging beast.

"Do you yield?" Pelleas asked. Uther grimaced as if thinking 'how dare he suggest such a thing.' Merlin frowned from his retaken position at the edge of the stands.

Arthur looked next to him and saw his shield within arm's reach. He took a deep breath from his position on his side on the ground. "Never," he said, just loud enough to be heard.

Before Pelleas could retaliate, Arthur snatched up his shield and threw it at the other man. It knocked Pelleas right off his feet and onto the ground. Meanwhile, Arthur scurried to his own feet and over to his opponent, pointing his sword at Pelleas's lowered head.

"Do _you_ yield?" he asked.

Pelleas just sat there on the ground for several long moments, and then he nodded his head and dropped his shield. Arthur knelt down and handed the shield back to its owner before helping Pelleas to stand.

"That was truly impressive, highness," Pelleas complimented.

"You were quite the shining warrior yourself, Pelleas of Mora," Arthur commented in return.

"I would love to duel you again," Pelleas said with a grin.

Arthur frowned in confusion. "Now? Is serving me that great a challenge that you have to fight me again?"

Pelleas blinked once before beginning to laugh outright. He shook his head as the laughter died down. "No, no. That's not what I meant at all. I meant that I would love to duel you again sometime in the future. It was a rush," he explained, a huge smile covering his face.

Arthur gave a little smile of his own and clapped his right hand on Pelleas' left shoulder. "I look forward to it." He turned to his father and the others in the stands. He bowed, and Pelleas did the same to his right. "I'd love to have you as a knight," Arthur admitted. Sadly, his father would likely never allow it.

A terrifying roar sounded throughout the arena followed by the screams of the townspeople. Arthur glanced at Pelleas for a brief moment before taking off out of the ring and toward the source of the commotion. Everyone but Morgana and the three advisors followed soon after, Merlin and Pelleas included. What they saw upon arriving in the lower town was…something.

It was as tall as Arthur's largest horse. Its head looked to be from a grotestque looking old goat with three inch long fangs and jagged teeth besides with blazing red eyes, its horns protruding menacingly about six feet into the air. The white goat fur continued back only far enough to barely meet its forelegs, which were the kind Arthur had only ever seen on large birds of prey; with razor sharp talons and feet as large as Arthur's head. Its back legs were those of a large ox, darker than the rest of the body and covered in long, thick black hair. The body itself was sleek and muscled like a lion's, made of dark golden fur. The tail was possibly the longest and largest part of the beast and was moving of its own accord. It was a great green and black snake with a head as large as the goat head at the front of the beast, its fangs dripping with both saliva and venom. It reared up on its back legs and Arthur caught sight of a third head positioned just where the front head ended: a feral lion's head. It also had blazing red eyes, perfectly sharpened fangs, and looked to have mange. Of all of the beast, the lion looked the most livid.

"What is it?" Pelleas asked, coming to a stop next to Arthur on his left side. Merlin stopped on Arthur's right.

"I'm not sure," Arthur let out, looking around the area at the damage the beast had already caused. Houses and market stalls were in shambles and already three bleeding bodies were on the ground before the beast. In his sweep, he caught sight of Merlin to his side and glared. "_What are you doing_, _Merlin_? Get back!" He threw out his arm, pushing Merlin further from the beast. "You don't even have a weapon, idiot!"

"But-" Merlin tried, but Arthur just gave him a stern look and Merlin shut his mouth and hurried away. He didn't go far though, simply hiding just out of sight and ready to protect Arthur should the need arise.

The knights of Camelot gathered around Arthur and Pelleas in a defensive manner. Arthur led them forward toward the beast, then sent four men to the left, four to the right, and three around the back, while keeping two for himself and Pelleas. He advanced further on the beast, catching its attention. It roared angrily, a strange sound to hear coming from a goat's mouth, and charged forward.

Sir Leon threw a spear at it and the beast stopped short in surprise when the spear glanced off its left shoulder. It looked at the wound there with its snake head. The snake hissed and the goat glared. Then the goat head opened its mouth and breathed fire out at the four men in front of it.

"Move!" Arthur yelled. Sir Leon, Pelleas, and the other knight all scattered while Arthur backed up and to the left to avoid the flames. The flames hit the stone wall of the inner keep just next to where Merlin was hiding and he jumped in fright.

The only real good thing about the situation was that the townspeople had all fled the area, so there was no worry about them anymore unless every knight died and the creature continued on into the city. Arthur couldn't let that happen. He motion with his free hand for the knights to move in, and once Leon, Pelleas, and the other knight were back with him in front of the beast, Arthur shouted and all four platoons charged forward at once. They would kill it quick, before it could do any more damage.

The beast made a noise of indignation. It kicked out the back troops with its hind legs while the snake head whipped to the right side, grabbing one of the knights and flinging him around, taking out the knights on either side with another knight's body. The goat head spewed fire again but this time Arthur simply raised his shield to it and kept charging. His shield was on fire now, so he tossed it aside a foot in front of the beast and came face to face with the goat.

Arthur stabbed it between where the lion and goat heads met and the beast cried out in pain, rearing up on its hind legs again. The lion head seemed to detach from the rest of the creature and snapped its jaws at Arthur. It missed but came so close that Arthur had felt its breath on his face. Upon landing on all fours again, the goat head swiveled around and its horns slammed into Arthur hard enough to knock him off his feet. He landed with a 'guh' and stayed down, unable to catch his breath.

Merlin winced and looked around for some way he could help. There were several barrels piled up near a house but that was about it. He shook his head and stared the barrels down, his eyes flashing gold with a spell just before the pile crumbled and all six barrels of who knows what went rolling toward the beast at record barrel rolling speeds. The barrel's hit the beast's legs and sent it cascading to the ground. By the time it had righted itself, every knight in Camelot along with Arthur and Pelleas was surrounding it again, with swords held high. It whipped its goat and snake heads around as if searching and both heads stopped momentarily to stare at Merlin behind a cart near the inner wall. A few seconds later it let out that strange roar again, turned around, and ran from the city.

"After it!" Arthur shouted. "We can't let it escape!"

Merlin ran after them at a safe distance.

Uther watched the fight leave the city but couldn't calm his mind. He watched as Merlin ran after the knights and all he could think was 'A sorcerer. He must have conjured that creature to destroy us.' In a flurry of angry steps. Uther made his way to where Gaius was: in the town tending to the people.

"Gaius," he said sternly and the older man looked up from where he was bandaging a girl's arm.

"Sire," he greeted before turning back to his work.

"Did you know?" Uther asked in a dangerous voice. "About the boy? The boy in your care, in my kingdom?" he demanded as quietly as he could manage.

Gaius stopped moving. It wasn't quite a freeze, but it was more than a pause. After a moment, he finished bandaging the little girl before him. "You'll be alright, just don't strain it for at least a week."

"Thanks," the girl said with a wavering smile before hurrying off to find her parents.

Gaius stood and turned to Uther. "Perhaps we should discuss this in my chambers where there are less people?" He said it like a question but anyone could tell there was no other option. They walked back to the castle and up to Gaius' chambers. Gaius shut the door behind Uther and then folded his hands in front of him. "You were saying, sire?"

Uther looked around the room, his eyes lingering on Merlin's bedroom door. How much of the artifacts in this room were for science…and how many were for magic? "I want you to answer me truthfully, Gaius," he began, his eyes coming to a standstill on Gaius's face. "How long have you known that….Merlin….is a sorcerer?"

Gaius expression hardened. "I don't know what you're talking about." He moved over to his work table. "Merlin's just a boy."

"Do you actually dare to _lie _to my face, Gaius?" Uther practically hissed out. "I heard what that _witch _said in the canyon as clear as you did. The one who gave me that sword, the one I used against Tristan de Bois when he was raised from the dead…that was Merlin. You saw what was engraved on that sword. You translated it for me. Merlin handed me a magical sword that day. Merlin is a sorcerer and _I want to know how long you've known about it!_" he ended in a furious shout.

Gaius closed a book slowly, no action belaying how fast his heart was beating or how much he was panicking. Uther knew. The King knew and there was no way to avoid this.

He lifted his eyes from the table and stared back at Uther's glare evenly. "I have known Merlin was special….since the day he arrived in Camelot."

Uther's eyes widened and then narrowed dangerously. "You've been hiding a _sorcerer_ right under my very nose for almost _five_ years…You have been hiding your true nature from me Gaius."

Gaius interrupted him. "_My_ true nature? Excuse me, sire, but I have tried to be as honest with you as I possibly could be, but there are certain facts about Merlin that would not let me give him up to you."

"_Facts_?" Uther stressed. "What _fact_ do I need to know besides the one that states that he is a _sorcerer_, committing _treason_ right in my own castle? Who knows what evil he's been doing in the dark of the night to my people….to my _son_!"

Gaius' glare was almost scarier than Uther's. "_He would never_," he stated quickly, definitively. "Merlin is a kind soul. He cares for the people of your kingdom as much as his own, perhaps more. He practices magic, no matter the danger to his own life, so that he can _save_ your son when mortal means prove fruitless. That boy is more loyal to Arthur than _you_ are."

Uther drew in a sharp breath. "Do not _dare_ to presume such a thing," he hissed out. "No sorcerer will stay so close to my own son. His evil-"

"_Merlin is not evil_!" Gaius again interrupted. Uther looked just as angry at being interrupted as he was at Merlin for being magical. "Magic runs in his very bones, through the deepest part of his soul. He can't get rid of it so he uses it for the good of the kingdom. Camelot would have fallen a dozen times over if that boy were normal. He is _special_. He is _talented_. And if you dare to lay one _finger_ on him, you will learn to regret it very quickly."

"Are you threatening me?" Uther demanded hotly.

Gaius shook his head. "Not just me, sire. Merlin has a great destiny to fulfill, as Arthur's right hand in ruling all of Albion. If you try to break that destiny….All the power that lies within the Old Religion may very well fall down upon you."

Uther and Gaius shared in an angry staring contest for a long time after that statement. Finally, Uther looked away. "I will not trust a _sorcerer_," he stated, about half the anger gone from his voice. "As soon as he returns…I will have him executed for sorcery."

"Sire," Gaius said warningly.

Uther turned a glare on Gaius. "And you, and all of the Old Religion with you, can burn with him if you try to stop me!" he shouted angrily before stomping from the room.

Gaius clenched his hands and shut his mouth, merely watching Uther's retreat, so he wouldn't accidentally say a spell he didn't fully remember. "Be careful, Merlin," he murmured, looking out the far window at the sky.

…

…

It wasn't until two hours later that a ragged looking group of knights, and a pitiful looking Merlin, came back to the castle in Camelot. They gathered before the throne, where Uther sat, and hung their heads.

"I'm sorry, father," Arthur began. "We weren't able to kill it. It escaped."

Uther moved his glare off Merlin to regard his son. "Then it is no longer our problem," he said as if that were the most obvious thing in the world.

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "No, father," he disagreed. Everyone lifted their heads a bit in shock. "I believe we should pursue it. I can't just let a beast such as that loose on the other kingdoms…or our own outer villages."

Uther considered him for a moment. He really didn't think he could handle his son speaking out against him while he was attempting to deal with the very real threat of a sorcerer in his midst. "Of course. You are right. See to it."

Arthur inclined his head to Uther and then flipped to Merlin. "Ready the horses, gather the supplies, get whatever weapons you can find, and meet us at the front steps in two hours." He turned to the knights and Pelleas behind him. "We will leave immediately. The beast is fast. It could have reached another village already. Be prepared for anything."

The knights bowed and exited, and Pelleas approached Arthur quickly. "Sire. Your highness. I wish to come too."

Arthur looked him over once and then nodded. "Very well. I'd be honored to have you fight by my side."

Pelleas looked thrilled at the statement, bowed, and hurriedly retreated from the room. Uther stood from his throne just as Arthur grabbed Merlin by the upper arm and began dragging him from the room.

"And you," he was saying. "I told _you_ to stay out of the fight and yet somehow you were out in the woods with us during the fight," he chastised.

Merlin pouted, pulling his arm free. Uther tensed, ready for some spell. "If I hadn't been there, you'd've been trampled."

Arthur glared, but not exactly angrily. "Like I said before my duel: I've been trained since birth for this sort of thing." They were out the door then and Uther made his way forward so he could keep an eye on Merlin. "You are a peasant who couldn't even hold a sword a year ago. I don't need _your_ help."

Merlin grinned. "Oh, you just _think_ so," he teased.

Arthur blinked at Merlin, a little grin fighting to creep onto his face. He squelched the expression and frowned instead. "Merlin," he began, "go get the horses."

Merlin grinned bigger. "Of course, sire," he said easily before running off down the hallway.

Uther shook his head. There was no time for a public burning. He'd have to wait until the beast was dead to have Merlin executed. Uther remembered the time when he thanked Merlin for being a true ally in the fight against magic. It seemed so foolish now. Sorcerers were evil, only caring about themselves, and that was the end of it. Period.

Merlin would die.

…

…

**Next Time: Unfinished Business**

_Arthur and his knights face off against the Chimera again and Pelleas proves his worth as a knight despite his heritage. Once the battle is over, Arthur makes a decision that contradicts the very Code of Camelot and Uther is given a choice. When the dust settles, will Merlin burn at the stake?_


	3. Unfinished Business

**Unfinished Business**

Arthur and his knights face off against the Chimera again and Pelleas proves his worth as a knight despite his heritage. Once the battle is over, Arthur makes a decision that contradicts the very Code of Camelot and Uther is given a choice. When the dust settles, will Merlin burn at the stake?

…

…

A/N: Thought I'd include a picture of the beast they're fighting; for clarification purposes: www. andyparkart. com/images/gallery/concept/god_of_war_ ii/chimera. jpg

Just remove the spaces. Also: **I AM SO SORRY!** I totally didn't notice I hadn't posted! T_T

…

…

The horses hurried along at an easy yet forceful pace. Arthur led the troop with Merlin just behind him, followed by thirteen knights and Pelleas. They'd been traveling in the direction the beast had vanished towards for several hours but still had come up with nothing. The sun was beginning to rise in the east and the whole company had stopped by a small river to let the horses drink and the riders rest.

Merlin took a seat on a rock. "I spoke to Gaius before we left and he says the beast is probably a Chimera."

"A chimera?" Arthur asked, splashing water on his face.

"Yea," Merlin nodded. "It's a magical creature. It's made when a sorcerer fuses together several animals. Typically, in history, it's been recorded as having the head of a goat, the body of a lion, and the tail of a dragon."

"This one had three heads, Merlin," Arthur corrected.

Merlin nodded. "Gaius said he thought maybe the sorcerer who created this Chimera used more animals in the hopes that it would be more powerful and harder to kill."

"How do you kill it?" Pelleas asked as he walked over.

Merlin shrugged. "Gaius said a man condemned to die was sent to kill one in hopes that he would die trying, but he stabbed it with an iron spear, which melted down its throat and hardened in its stomach, suffocating and effectively killing it."

"Um…sorry but, I don't think we have any iron spears," Pelleas commented. "Did…Gaius, know of anything else that can kill a chimera?"

Merlin shook his head. "No one's really managed it. Chimera's are really powerful and I don't think many have even gotten close enough to _attempt_ killing one. There was one guy who killed one, no one knows how, because just after he managed it….he died of exhaustion."

"That encouraging," Arthur mumbled as he stood up from his spot by the river. "Alright! Get ready to go! There's a village only an hour or so away. The beast probably went there. We need to get there before it kills everyone…and kill it instead!"

The knights all yelled in agreement before beginning to pack up their things. Pelleas moved back over to his horse to gather his own things while Arthur turned to Merlin.

"Don't tell anyone else about no one killing one before," he said. "And stay out of the battle. I can't concentrate on a Chimera if I'm busy protecting you."

Merlin held up his hands. "I won't even get near it," he promised.

Arthur cast him a look that clearly stated his unbelief in that statement, but motioned for Merlin to gather anything they'd taken off the horse and get ready to ride anyway.

…

…

They heard the screaming first, smelled the fire second, and saw the smoke and the wreckage last. The village was bigger than Ealdor but much smaller than Camelot. About forty buildings made up the whole of the main area. About half were on fire.

"Let's go!" Arthur shouted behind him over the yelling of the villagers, spurring his horse forward into the village. Merlin followed to the edge of the destruction before stopping his horse and dismounting, using it as a shield to hide himself should he need to use magic.

Arthur jumped off his horse, smacking it on the butt so it would keep moving, and ran forward with his sword drawn toward the chimera. He dodged the goat head and its horns and slashed across the wound Sir Leon had given it the day before. The chimera growled angrily and the snake head lashed out at him, fangs dripping what was no doubt poison and ready to sink into Arthur's flesh. Suddenly Pelleas was there, his sword descending on the snake head like the executioner's ax. The head came off cleanly and landed at Arthur's feet.

The chimera backed away from Arthur, its tail waving in the air aimlessly with blood pooling down the sides of the snake body and onto its ox-like hindquarters. Arthur pat Pelleas on the shoulder but never got to say any words of congrats because the chimera roared, a horrifying sound, and charged. It didn't charge at Arthur, it was too close for that, but at Arthur's knights and the villagers.

Sir Leon stepped in front of it, looking scared out of his mind, with a pitchfork he'd picked up from one of the houses. When the chimera was a bit closer to him, Leon jabbed the pitchfork at its lower head with the prongs facing up. He knew he'd hit something when the lion roared independently of the goat head. Sadly, that didn't stop the charge and now it was too late to dodge.

"_Cléofan_," Merlin said in a rush, his eyes flashing gold a second before the horns of the goat….fell off. There was a clean slice through the bone and all but an inch of each horn split away and dropped to the ground.

The chimera still rammed into Leon with the force of a charging bull, but at least there were no sharp objects to impale him. He flew backwards even after the chimera stopped running and rolled over himself a few times before stopping when he hit the wall of an as-of-yet undamaged building. Merlin ran over to him and knelt down, checking his pulse. He looked up and saw Arthur looking over at him while the chimera was being still for a moment. Merlin gave a nod and a thumbs up to let him know that Leon was still alive so he could get back to the battle.

Arthur nodded in return and turned his attention to the chimera and his remaining knights. "Surround it! It can't defend against us all! Attack it all at once!"

All of the knights and Pelleas gathered around the chimera like lightening at their leader's call. Swords drawn, every one of them raced forward. The chimera kicked two of them back with its hind legs but without the snake head or its horns, it couldn't defend against the rest and soon twelve swords were piercing the lion hide of its body. The goat head spit fire out in a last desperate attempt to take its enemies down with it and then the chimera fell in a bleeding husk to the ground. Merlin jumped when the fire managed to skirt the ground long enough to catch his left pant leg on fire and quickly pat it out with his own jacket.

"I _told_ you to stay back," Arthur chastised, a laughing smile on his face as he came to stand by Merlin's side.

Merlin glared at him. "I _was_ back! I'm like…more than twenty _feet_ back!" he complained.

Arthur shrugged and motioned to Leon. "How is he?"

Still glaring, Merlin turned his attention to Leon. "I think he's fine…His ribs are probably bruised if not broken though, so we should be really careful with him."

"Oh, _somebody's_ learning a useful skill," Arthur commented lightly. He seemed rather pleased with the victory over the chimera.

Merlin threw him a suffering look but didn't get to comment because Pelleas and two of Camelot's knights hurried over to them. All three of them bowed before the knight in the center began to speak. "Sire. The beast destroyed half the city before we got here. There are many injured villagers and not enough medicine to care for them here."

Arthur's smile dropped and looked around the village. Many of the houses were still burning while others were nothing but ash. Children were crying and men and women alike were moaning in pain. Arthur's expression contorted into one of guilt. How had he not noticed before?

"Leave the injured men here with me while two of you head back to Camelot as fast as you can," he said. "Bring Gaius back here along with all the food, clothes, and medical supplies you can manage. The rest of us will help put out the fires and rebuild the homes as best we can. Go. Now."

The knights hurried off but Arthur kept Pelleas there with his eyes alone. "Sire?" the peasant warrior asked once the other two were gone.

Arthur placed his right hand on Pelleas' left shoulder and stared him directly in the eyes. "You saved my life today, and helped defeat a terrible beast that was destroying a kingdom that is not your own. You've proven your courage and your honor. When we're finished here and we return to Camelot….I will see to it you become a knight of Camelot."

"But the Knight's Code-" Pelleas began.

Arthur shook his head and Pelleas stopped. "I met a man once before who was the epitome of a knight. He passed the knight's tests and proved himself many times over, but he was a peasant and my father would not allow him to be a knight. I regret that. I will not let my father's paranoia dictate my decisions. I need men I can trust at my side when I am king, and I am certain you are a man worthy of that trust."

Merlin was certain that Pelleas' heart was about to burst with the pride he felt at that admission. "Thank you, sire," he managed to breathe out, his face turning red from the strain of not passing out with joy.

Arthur nodded to him. "Go. Help put out the fires."

"Of course, sire." Pelleas turned and hurried over to where some villagers were already bringing buckets of water over from the well they kept just out of the village and took a particularly heavy looking one from an older woman, who thanked him.

Without turning around Arthur said, "Wipe that smile off your face, Merlin. You look ridiculous."

Merlin shook his head and looked at Leon for lack of anything better to do. "You're fulfilling your destiny," he said in a way that confused Arthur: not because it was an odd tone but because he couldn't decide if Merlin was just smiling really big or if Merlin was actually teasing him in some way.

He decided not to answer to cover his uncertainty. "Stay with Sir Leon," he ordered. "I'm going to go help the others."

"Aye, sire."

…

…

When the knights arrived that evening with the supplies and Gaius, both Merlin and Arthur were shocked to see Gwen along for the journey. She hurried over to Arthur, standing by a partially rebuilt house.

"Guinevere," Arthur let out. "What are you doing here?" he asked through his shock.

Gwen looked him in the eyes for a moment, and then blushed lightly and looked away. "I heard you needed help and….well, I was worried and I couldn't just sit by and do nothing." She looked up at his eyes again. "I want to help you."

Arthur and Gwen stared at each other for a full four seconds before Arthur nodded, looking away. "The majority of the injured have been moved over there by Merlin," he said with a motion of his hand to where several people were laying or sitting down by Merlin. Gaius was already walking that way.

"Right," Gwen said before swiftly moving over to where she was needed. Arthur sadly watched her go.

He was conflicted when it came to Gwen. She was a servant. He knew next to nothing about her personally, but felt like he'd known her for years….Technically he had because she'd been Morgana's maidservant since they were kids but he'd never really met her before Merlin came to town. Heck, he hadn't really known her _name_ before Merlin mentioned getting a flower from her! But she was sweet and kind and spoke her mind and had taught him a lot about what it was to be a good king, a good person, over the years. And she was beautiful. Everyone could see she was beautiful.

And then there was Lancelot. Arthur was almost completely positive that Lancelot held Guinevere in the same regard that Arthur himself did. Lancelot was a good man, better than Arthur was, and he deserved Gwen more for it but…Arthur's heart beat double time when he saw her face and he worried about her like….like he worried about Merlin….but not. Because Merlin was, well, _Merlin_, and that just explained everything didn't it?

Arthur turned away from the sight of Gwen talking to Gaius and moved to help finish building a home. On the way over, the elderly woman Pelleas had taken the water bucket from earlier stepped up to him. "Arthur Pendragon," she said humbly, giving the best bow she could manage.

"What can I do for you?" Arthur asked.

She stood up, her grey hair brushing along her shoulders gently, and looked at him with kind old eyes. "You saved us from that beast, and now you are helping us rebuild our homes and our families," she gushed.

Arthur shook his head. "No. It's nothing. How could I not help you?"

The woman nodded her head, her eyes wetting with unshed tears. "I hope I live to see you crowned king, my lord….I hope I live to see the shining world you create."

Meanwhile, Merlin and Gaius and Gwen were bandaging the wounded. Gaius looked around once he was finished with a young boy's leg and then over to the wagon they'd brought full of food and supplies. "Gwen," he said. She looked up. "Could you get me some more bandages from the wagon?"

"Of course," she answered with a nod, hurrying over to get what Gaius needed.

Gaius turned to Merlin. "Merlin," he practically hissed. Merlin looked up at him. "You're in danger."

"What?" Merlin stepped up to him. "What do you mean?" He looked around for an attacker.

Gaius shook his head. "Not here. In Camelot." He was whispering so no one else would hear. "Uther knows about you. He knows about your gifts."

Merlin's eyes widened. "But…but…how?"

"The seer from the canyon mentioned a sword." Merlin nodded. He knew that sword. "Uther remembered the sword you gave him to fight the wraith. He knows it's the same sword."

Merlin nodded again, and then narrowed his eyes a bit. "Wait…If he knows I'm the one who is supposed to help Arthur…why would he hurt me?"

Gaius let out a long suffering sigh. "Merlin, magic is magic to Uther. It doesn't matter if every bit of proof points to a good sorcerer, he'll still have them executed for treason."

Merlin stared at Gaius, fear creeping into his face. "So…what do I do?"

Gaius shrugged and shook his head. "I'm not sure. I'd tell you to stay away from Camelot, but I know you won't. You need to stay at Arthur's side. All I can say is….be careful around Uther, keep your head down, and try not to do any magic where he can see it."

"Here you go, Gaius," Gwen announced herself, holding the bandages and salve out for him to take. Gaius thanked her graciously, shot Merlin a look, and went back to work.

…

…

As the horses reentered Camelot, Arthur turned to Merlin on the horse beside him. "Don't look so glum, Merlin," he said. "The creature is dead. It can't hurt you. Stop sulking."

Merlin gave Arthur his best grin while Gaius frowned deeper. "Right…sire. I know. I'm not sulking."

"Yea," Arthur snorted as they dismounted the horses and servants ran to help the knights. "That's why you look about to faint, because you _aren't_ scared of the chimera." He shook his head. Merlin stepped up to take the reins of the horse from him. "Just help Gaius and Gwen. Also, I want a bath ready so I can clean up before dinner."

Merlin frowned. "But…it's barely noon."

Arthur nodded like Merlin was an idiot. "Yes. Which means you have plenty of time to clean my room, and brush and clean my horse. I'm going to speak with my father."

Arthur motioned to his knights and Pelleas and they all followed him up the steps to report to Uther. Gwen immediately hurried off to find Morgana. Gaius walked over and stood next to Merlin with his hands clasped in front of him.

"Don't worry, Gaius," Merlin assured him. "I'll think of something. You should go help the other villagers."

"You're sure?" Gaius asked, not believing in Merlin's 'plan.' Merlin nodded with a little smile, nervous but real, and Gaius sighed. "Alright then. I wouldn't use spells though. Just a bit of advice." Merlin's smile became a tad less nervous and Gaius returned it before meandering off.

…

…

"The carcass was taken into the woods far from the city and burned," Arthur informed his father.

Uther nodded. "Very good. You have all done well. Go and rest now."

Arthur nodded to his knights and they all left to help the villagers. "Pelleas," Arthur called simply, not loudly, and Pelleas of Mora stopped on his way out the door. Arthur motioned for him to come forward and he did so. "Father."

"Hm?"

"I wish to make Pelleas a knight of Camelot."

Uther's face contorted, but not in rage. It seemed more like he really wasn't quite sure if Arthur had spoken English just then and he was trying to translate before answering and wasn't having much luck. He looked at Pelleas and waved a hand at the door. "Leave us." Pelleas bowed and hurriedly exited the room "What?" Uther asked in a hushed and yet angry tone of voice.

Could his week get any worse?

"You've always told me that a king must have those he trusts by his side. You invented the knight's code because you believed only the nobles who had sworn fealty to you in the beginning could be trusted," Arthur began. "I have seen Pelleas in battle and he has proven himself to be an honorable man. If I am to be King, I will need men I trust in my service. I trust Pelleas."

Uther didn't speak, he just stared. After a long silence as tense as overworked muscles, Uther took a deep breath. "He is _not_ of noble blood, therefore he cannot be a knight of Camelot."

Arthur drew himself up to his full height. "The seer from the canyon never said the King of Albion had to be of noble blood. If the King does not need to be of noble blood, then neither should the knights. Besides which, a king is worthless without his subjects. They should have the ability to protect the land just as much as anyone else."

"They may have the _ability_," Uther agreed with a nod, "but it is not their _right_."

"Then _give_ them the right!" Arthur yelled. "You have always been so set and stubborn in the knight's code, except when it came to me. Lancelot had _more_ than what was required in a knight, and yet you dismissed him like common _garbage_. But for me…for me you would break the code a _thousand_ times over!" he accused, taking a step closer to his father. "If that's the way it will continue to be, then the code must be rewritten. When I am King, I will rewrite it myself if I have to. Anyone who proves themselves worthy of the honor of becoming a knight shall be given it, regardless of their position or bloodline."

That last bit almost made Uther double over as if he'd been punched in the gut. It sure felt like it. 'When I am King.' He'd always known Arthur would become king one day. His son was born into that privilege and so he would have it. But more and more as time went on, and especially now that he was _destined_ to be King of all Albion, Arthur had been standing up to Uther and shoving his dissent with his father into the light. He was forming ideas about what kind of kingdom he wanted, and that was fine. Every man who would inherit such a position was bound to think of that at some point, but Arthur never used to question Uther's methods.

Until….

Uther's eyes widened.

_Merlin._

Uther narrowed his eyes a bit. "You present a valid argument, Arthur," he admitted. "I will consider your request."

Right after he killed a certain sorcerer who had been casting spells on his son for almost _five_ years! Then he would see just how much of these thoughts were Arthur's and how many were Merlin's in his plot to destroy the kingdom! Letting peasants be knights! It would be the downfall of the kingdom! The downfall of Arthur!

Arthur blinked a few times, surprised, and then bowed. "Thank you, father."

Uther waved him off and Arthur left the room to tell Pelleas, who was doubtless waiting outside the room, about the conclusion. Uther placed his left hand on his sword hilt and his right hand on his throne, attempting to balance himself. He felt he might pass out. Gaius had said Merlin was a good sorcerer, but he'd been casting spells on Arthur the whole time! Arthur. His son. Under a spell.

"Ahem."

Uther shot to a full standing position as he flipped to see who had made the noise. There. Standing just next to the closest pillar to the throne on the left side was Merlin. His head was bowed, but he was still making eye contact with Uther. Anger flared through Uther's veins and he took three heavy steps towards Merlin, down the stairs.

"_You_!" Merlin took a step back and Uther stopped walking. "You placed a spell on my son."

Merlin's eyes widened. "What?" he exclaimed, and then lowered his voice. "I would never-"

"Ever since you arrived in Camelot, Arthur has been challenging my rule. He scrutinizes my every move, contradicts me at every turn. You must think me a fool for not noticing!" The king accused.

Merlin was silent for about half a second before he glared right at Uther, no head bowed or anything anymore. "You _are_ a fool, Uther Pendragon," he stated defiantly, "if you think I would do something like that. When I first arrived here, I had no idea magic was even banned. I had no idea who you and your son _were_. If I have somehow changed Arthur's beliefs it's because I am a terrible servant, which I tried to tell you when you offered me the job, or because I'm a commoner and I've been around him so long he's noticed I have some semblance of a life outside of helping him and helping Gaius," Merlin rambled. He broke off, taking several deep breaths, and hoped he hadn't just said something that would end his life. After a moment of silence in which Uther simply stared at him with an unreadable expression, Merlin pressed on. "And I don't even know if it was me that made him disagree with you. It could've been someone else. It could've been just that he's growing up. Or maybe it was something you did yourself that made him start rethinking things."

The glare was back on Uther's face. "I have done _nothing_ to make Arthur into the man he was in this room today," he hissed. "I raised Arthur the best way he could've been raised. He _never_ questioned me before. You are a lying sorcerer and I will see you burned for treason!"

"Then _do_ it!" Merlin shouted, and then glanced at the door a moment to make sure no one had heard him. In a softer voice he continued. "If you're so bent on killing me, then do it. If you think it's what's best for the kingdom, then go ahead and build the pyre, tie me up, and kill me. If you think it's what's best for Arthur."

Uther scoffed. "You think I am so blind, sorcerer?" he sneered. "The moment you get a chance, you will use your magic to save yourself or kill me or Arthur. If you are so bent on the pyre, then I will use the executioner's block."

Merlin shook his head almost tiredly. "You don't understand. I'm not lying to you, sire." That caused Uther to stop his thought process. "My magic was given to me at birth for a reason." Oh, there it went again. Thoughts gone. "That reason isn't to save myself or kill the Pendragon line. It isn't to destroy your kingdom. For that matter, I've been told it isn't even for changing the bed sheets or sharpening a sword," he said with a minute laugh. "My entire life has led me to this point, to this place in time, to this _destiny_," Merlin emphasized. "My destiny to help your son in any way I can. And I don't care if he ends up being exactly the kind of king you are today: bitter and hateful towards magic and distrusting everyone. I'd follow him unto death and beyond, to Avalon if I'm allowed. But I know he's going to be a great king, a king that will be remembered in legends and songs and magic for all of time, because he is kind, empathetic, compassionate, strong, brave, honorable, and true. And I don't care what you think of me, sire, not in the least, as long as you let me continue to serve Arthur until the day he decides he's through with me and sacks me."

Uther looked at Merlin, standing ten feet in front of him, and couldn't understand. Magic was evil. Magic had taken his wife away from him. Magic corrupted the soul and the heart. Those who studied magic were only out for their own gain. And yet…

Merlin sighed and lowered his eyes to the ground. "Arthur wants me to draw him a bath. You can arrest me once he's had it so maybe he won't be so irritable," he said in a defeated tone of voice. "Tonight then, my lord," he said in good-bye before slowly walking to the servant's entrance of the hall and vanishing behind the door.

…

…

The sun crept onward toward sunset. Merlin bathed and brushed Arthur's horses, cleaned his rooms, and prepared the bath. Arthur came in, dirty and tired from helping in the city that day after the fight and work the day before, and immediately undressed and stepped into the still hot water. Merlin helped him bathe and engaged in conversation about the fight and the plight of the people, but his mind was elsewhere so the conversation went nowhere. Arthur didn't fail to notice.

"Once dinner is over, go get some sleep, Merlin," he ordered in the soft tone of voice he saved for when he was truly worried about someone and for once wasn't trying to hide it. "You look worse than I do and I did all the work."

Merlin managed to grin at him. "Right. Thank you."

Dinner came and went. Uther kept staring at Merlin the whole time and when Morgana passed a confused look to Arthur, Arthur noticed it too. "It's pathetic, isn't it?" he said, catching everyone's attention. "I fight a chimera and help rebuild two cities with my knights, and my _servant_ is the one who looks overworked," he commented almost cruelly. Merlin gave a little grin.

"Well then, maybe he's coming down with something," Morgana added. "He shouldn't be around the food," she said, casting a mildly angry look at Uther like he'd been the one to say that. "Perhaps he should go lie down and get some rest. It'd be terrible if he got sick and couldn't keep Arthur's chambers looking at least _moderately_ clean," she teased at Arthur.

He cast a bit of a scowl at her and took a large sip of his wine. Uther nodded and began to speak before Arthur ever got the chance to open his mouth. "Right. Boy," he called and Merlin flinched visibly, turning to face the king with his eyes trained on the floor. "You may leave us."

Merlin nodded meekly, placed the wine pitcher on the table next to Arthur's goblet, but not too close, and left without a word. Arthur cast an actually openly worried look after his manservant before turning his attention back to his food.

Merlin lay awake in bed until deep into the night. He kept imagining he heard the footsteps of soldiers coming to get him. It wasn't until almost dawn that he finally fell into a restless sleep. He must have looked at least a bit as bad as he felt because when he woke up later than afternoon, Gaius said both he and Arthur had taken one look at him and decided that perhaps he really _was_ ill and not to wake him.

"Has….has anyone….," Merlin managed, but he wasn't sure how to word it.

Gaius understood him anyway and shook his head. "No. Uther hasn't sent anyone to collect you. He hasn't spoken to me since then either, but I think the fact that you're alive is a good sign at least. What did you say to him to keep him away?"

Merlin shrugged, staring into the cup of something Gaius had handed him. "I don't even really remember. I know I said something about helping Arthur and that I wouldn't fight him if he really wanted me dead….I told him…what kind of king Arthur was going to be….oh, and I told him he was wrong. I am not the reason Arthur's been rethinking Uther's laws."

Gaius made a noise between a laugh and an 'ehh'. "I wouldn't be so sure of that, Merlin. You've been his servant for years now. I'm sure you've rubbed off on him at least a little bit…though whether or not that's a good thing has yet to be seen. For now though, it seems as if you've kept your life."

Merlin nodded. "Now all I have to do is keep it." He downed the whole drink in one go and grimaced at the taste. Eck. Medicine.

…

…

Cléofan – Split.

…

…

**Next Time:**

_Morgause summons a Kelpie, a magical horse creature, from a lake. In the form of a beautiful woman, the Kelpie steals Arthur away in the dead of night. Uther charges Merlin with an ultimatum: retrieve his son or die on the pyre in the morning._

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Now I'll do my utmost to post within the week.


	4. The Kelpie

Amazingly, I did not get ONE SINGLE review in my email box. However, when I checked on , I saw I had several reviews for the last chapter. Strange, huh? So thank you to everyone who reviewed to the last chapter!

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**The Kelpie**

Morgause summons a Kelpie, a magical horse creature, from a lake. In the form of a beautiful woman, the Kelpie steals Arthur away in the dead of night. Uther charges Merlin with an ultimatum: retrieve his son or die on the pyre in the morning.

…

…

The water parted and the forest grew still as the being of black and silver emerged from the lake to stand tall and proud on the shore. The great horse shook its head wildly and whinnied, deep green fragments of lake-bed plants slipping slickly from its wet mane. No matter how long it stood there, water continued to drip from its very being and onto the soft ground around it. A woman dressed in a dark blue cloak with the hood up calmly walked over to it, her hand held up to touch its face. She pet the hair there gently and then turned around to face back the way she'd come from.

"It's beautiful," Morgana admitted with a smile, which quickly dissolved into an uneasy frown. "But it's cold as death to the touch."

Morgause meandered over to stand beside her sister and pet the horse just as gently as Morgana had. "It will not matter how cold it is. Arthur will be in our grasp before he notices the difference." She breathed gently on the horse's nose and it let out a huff before turning and walking away into the forest, dripping the whole way.

…

…

Arthur was crouched on the ground in the forest, peering through the underbrush at the deer poised twenty feet away. He lifted his crossbow and aimed carefully. Just before he loosed the arrow, the deer's head snapped up, alert, and it bounded off into the forest beyond Arthur's sight. He sighed angrily, standing up and turning around to look where the deer had before it ran off.

"Merlin," he grumbled. "I thought I told you to-"

He cut himself off when he saw what was behind him. Not ten feet away stood a great, mighty stallion. Its body was pitch dark, like a starless night, and its mane matched its body except for the glints of silver hairs that flickered throughout in the late afternoon sun. Its eyes were dark but shone with a special power and there was a silver diamond on its forehead between the eyes.

"Oh my….," Arthur breathed out. The horse was so close he could practically touch it. All he would have to do is take one step and lift his hand…..The horse let out a breath and tapped its foot against the ground, swinging its head toward Arthur and then away, as if telling him to follow. Arthur nodded, his face the perfect picture of awe.

The horse bent its head down a minute amount, like it was nodding its head at Arthur, and then turned and began walking away. Arthur felt a part of him panic. Why was it leaving? Where was it going? He had to know! He took a step after it, reaching his hand out as if to take hold of the horse's mane….

"Arthur?"

Arthur's vision cleared. He blinked forcefully and shook his head, lifting his left hand to hold his head. Looking around, Arthur saw the horse….or whatever it had been, had vanished. Looking at the ground at his feet, Arthur narrowed his eyes at the puddle of water in the soft dirt and leaves. Water? But there were no water sources nearby….

"Arthur!"

Arthur grumbled, lowering his hand and turning back around as Merlin came tumbling through the bushes, carrying his arrows and a spear along with two dead rabbits strung up on a line. "What?" Arthur practically snapped, glaring.

Merlin looked relieved to see him. It only lasted a moment before Merlin was glaring right back at him. "You left me!" he accused, shaking the rabbits at Arthur angrily.

Arthur sighed heavily, placing his hand on his hip. "What _ever _gave you that impression, _Mer_lin?" he asked sarcastically.

Merlin almost dropped the spear he was carrying in his left hand at that, his mouth gaping open. "Were you really trying to lose me?" he asked, almost sounding hurt.

"Only long enough to kill the deer," Arthur explained off-handedly, like it didn't matter in the least. He motioned to where the deer had been. Merlin turned to look and then turned back with a confused look on his face. "Another animal scared it off before you managed to, don't worry," Arthur teased cruelly, frowning.

He felt bitter that the horse had gotten away, more so than the deer. It was strange. He really didn't know why he was so angry with Merlin right now….he just was.

"Let's move on. I saw some tracks heading east and we should be able to find _something_ worthwhile to kill before dinner," he half-sighed before moving on. He gave the puddle a wide berth.

…

…

Morgause frowned at the image of Merlin's face in the glass. He was always ruining things, even when he had no idea they were happening! She lifted her eyes from the crystal, the image fading, and watched as the black horse stepped into view in the cave. Morgana was next to it, but making sure not to touch it.

"It didn't work," Morgana pouted.

Morgause made her way over to the horse and gently laid her hand on its nose. It nickered softly but didn't move and Morgause smiled over at her sister. "Arthur is a wonderful hunter and a collector of marvelous things. If the beast could not sway him….perhaps there is another way." She looked back at the horse. "The Kelpie is a magnificent creature in that it can lure any man into its trap."

A look of understanding overcame Morgana's features and she nodded with a sick smile. "Arthur has never been able to resist a beautiful woman before."

Morgause nodded, almost to herself. "You should return to Camelot. With all that is happening right now, I have no doubt they are on the alert. You are my dear sister," she said softly, moving her hand from the Kelpie's nose to caress Morgana's cheek. "They cannot know about you."

Morgana smiled sweetly, placing her hand over Morgause's on her left cheek, and leaned into the touch. "No one will ever know," she assured her half-sister softly. "Only Merlin knows, but no one would believe him if he told anyone….and we've got his secret against him too. So there is nothing to worry about from him and no one else is smart enough to find out."

A little smile graced Morgause's lips. "Be that as it may….please be careful, Morgana."

"I will be."

Morgause pulled her hand gently from its place against Morgana's skin and moved back toward the crystals. "I'll take care of everything outside the castle walls, but I need you to make sure no one can find Arthur once he is out. This will not be a fast process and we'll need time to see it done. Once he is dead we can lead the knights to his cold body and let Uther's soul go with him to the afterlife in agony."

Morgana nodded in agreement with her sister's fanatical words and turned to leave the cave. Morgause watched her leave with a contemplative frown on her face. Once she was gone, Morgause turned to the Kelpie, the frown still on her face.

…

…

There was a minor 'bump' on the door, almost a knock, before Merlin entered the room. The noise had been his shoulder hitting the wood so he could push the door open without dropping the tray holding Arthur's breakfast. Just before he could go and set it on the table, Merlin noticed how light the room was. Looking over the room, Merlin noticed the curtains were drawn and Arthur was standing, fully dressed, staring out the window. He nearly dropped the tray. Nearly.

Clearing his throat and heading for the table, Merlin said, "You're up early, sire." It was odd. Merlin was even on time this morning! Why was Arthur up so early? Arthur didn't move or act like he'd even heard Merlin speak. "Sire?" Again, Arthur didn't even respond as Merlin _loudly_ arranged the tray of food just how Arthur preferred it. Frowning, Merlin stepped over to where Arthur stood and reached out, placing a hand on Arthur's left shoulder with a concerned, "Arthur?"

Arthur visibly jumped, his head snapping to look at Merlin. "What are you doing here?" he snapped, glaring.

Merlin pulled his hand back in shock and Arthur glanced at his own shoulder like he has just noticed there was something touching him in the first place. Merlin nodded and motioned toward the table. "I brought your breakfast. Is something wrong?"

Arthur shook his head and made for the table. "It seems you're on time today," he said, not answering Merlin's question. "For once," he added bluntly, setting down in his chair and picking up his knife, cutting into the light meat on his plate and practically jamming it into his mouth.

"Um….," Merlin let out, slowly walking back over to the table to stand before Arthur. He fiddled with his hands nervously.

"What?" Arthur asked contritely between bites.

Merlin shook his head. "Nothing. Is there anything you need me to do?"

Arthur took several more bites of his breakfast before, "No. You can go." He never even looked at Merlin.

Merlin's expression was one of complete and utter befuddlement. What? What did Arthur just…..? Turning on his heel, Merlin scurried from the room.

…

…

"Something's wrong with Arthur," Merlin blurted immediately upon entering Gaius' chambers.

Gaius looked up from mixing a potion, as if to clarify that it was indeed Merlin walking in on him, before looking back down and stirring the mixture again. "What makes you say that?"

Merlin shrugged. "I went to give him his breakfast and he was already up and dressed and staring out the window hopelessly. He didn't even notice I was in the room until I physically touched him," he said, worry etched into every word he spoke. "And then I asked him what my duties were for the day and he said there were none and dismissed me!" He flung his arms out to the sides and let them drop noisily back to his sides.

Gaius didn't respond immediately. He stirred his potion a few more times, lifted it from over the small flame it had sat above, and poured the mixture into a little bottle. The concoction was dark purple in color and smelled sort of like an old, half-rotten plum. Corking the bottle, Gaius held it out for Merlin, who took it warily with a confused expression on his face.

"I need you to take this to a man name Elsens in the market," he said in an unconcerned tone of voice. "He needs it for his joint."

"Alright," Merlin agreed slowly, pocketing the delivery. "But what should we do about Arthur?" he pressed.

Gaius put out the flame and began cleaning his utensils. "I don't know that there's anything to be done," he said easily.

"What?" Merlin just about shouted. "Gaius!"

"I'm serious, Merlin," Gaius continued. "What you've described could be nothing at all. Maybe he had a bad night. Maybe he had a lot on his mind. Maybe he really had nothing for you to do."

"He didn't even tell me to make his bed," Merlin deadpanned. "Or do his laundry. Or _anything_."

Gaius waved his hands at Merlin like he thought the boy was being silly. "He's just preoccupied, Merlin. I'm sure it's fine. Now if he starts doing handstands or his hair turns purple, then we can start worrying about something magical being the cause of his odd behavior. For now, just let him be. He's the crowned prince of Camelot. He's got a lot to deal with and sometimes it gets overwhelming." He paused a moment to place something high on a shelf, then turned to face Merlin again. "You should worry about getting that potion to Elsens as soon as possible. As in _now_, Merlin."

Merlin sighed heavily, obviously upset that Gaius didn't believe him, and practically stormed out the door.

…

…

Morgana stood staring out her window. Arthur had told Uther that he wouldn't be attending to his usual duties today, that he was going for a ride instead. Uther had almost contradicted the decision but Arthur had appeared so out of it that Uther thought perhaps the ride would do Arthur some good, so he'd agreed and dismissed Arthur without much of a second thought. Now Arthur was outside, Merlin beside him as always, getting settled in the saddle and preparing for a nice long afternoon in the forest.

Her chamber doors opened and Gwen walked in. "My lady," Gwen began with a curtsy. "You called for me?"

"Yes," Morgana breathed out before turning from the window and smiling at her chambermaid. "I wanted to apologize." Gwen narrowed her eyes in confusion. "I realize that, since I've returned to Camelot…I haven't been particularly kind to you. In fact, on multiple occasions I've been extremely rude to you instead."

"Oh, no, my lady. You-" Gwen tried, but Morgana shook her head and interrupted.

"No. It's the truth," she insisted. She gave a flickering smile. "I just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate all you do for me and….no matter what….I will always care for you."

Morgana knew how her maid cared for her half-brother. When Arthur died, Gwen would be heartbroken. Morgana would console her like Gwen had consoled Morgana after nightmares, until the image of Arthur's face faded from her mind. Perhaps a spell would be necessary. No matter what though, Gwen was a rock in Morgana's world here in the castle, something keeping her bound and sane under all the pressure from every side, and Morgana would not lose her.

Gwen smiled shyly. "I'd do the same for you," she said gently.

Morgana smiled too, hers bolder than Gwen's, and held out her arms in an invitation for a hug. Gwen walked into Morgana's arm and Morgana wrapped her up tight. "You're so sweet, Guinevere. You'll make someone very happy someday."

Gwen frowned briefly before clearing her throat and pulling back. "Thank you. Is there anything else, my lady?" she asked with a short curtsy.

Morgana shook her head, still smiling. "No. That's all. You can go back to whatever you were doing before. I won't keep you."

Gwen curtsied one last time in goodbye before retreating from the room. Morgana's smile dropped and she moved back to the window, looking out just in time to see Arthur and Merlin ride off out of the courtyard and beyond her line of sight. Her frown deepened. Arthur had been affected by his meeting with the Kelpie. It was only a matter of time before the creature would have him in its grasp, and then Arthur would be dead. She wasn't sure how she felt about that.

He was supposed to be the future king of Albion, after all.

…

…

That night, lightning flashed outside the castle even though there was no rain. Arthur's chamber door creaked open slowly, a pale hand wrapping around the wood in a light grip and pushing it further open. The hand was connected to an equally pale woman with fair skin, black hair, and dark eyes. She ghosted into the room and over to Arthur's bedside, dripping water as she went.

"Arthur...," she breathed out, her voice melodious and soft like a gentle breeze.

Arthur's eyes snapped open and he sat up in bed. His eyes were smoky white instead of their normal blue. The woman began ghosting back toward the door and Arthur got out of bed and followed her, possessed of some unknown power. They walked, almost as one but never touching, through the corridors and out of the city, slipping past guards like ghosts.

Soon, they vanished into the forest like they had never existed.

…

…

The alarm woke Merlin the next day. It blared in through his open window and he wished he closed it at night like a sensible person. Still, at least he was awake on time and could get Arthur his breakfast earlier than usual. He was just finishing slipping on his jacket when his bedroom door burst open and Uther stormed in.

"Where is he?" Uther demanded, stalking up to Merlin with intent to harm.

Merlin backed himself up trying to escape it and soon found himself pressed between the wall and the King: a rock and a hard place. "Who?" he asked almost meekly.

Uther's face contorted evermore into rage beyond imagining. "My son, you traitorous worm!"

Merlin's eyes widened. "Arthur's missing?" he said, the fear of Uther gone from his voice, replaced by worry for Arthur. "When? How?"

"Sire, please," Gaius began from where he stood in the doorway, before Uther could scream anymore. "I've been here all night and Merlin never left his room. Besides which, he'd be a bigger fool than anyone has ever thought if he kidnapped Arthur so soon after his secret was revealed."

Uther gave Gaius a hard look for a long moment before turning back to Merlin. "I will spare your life on _one_ condition," he practically hissed out. "Bring my son back from wherever he is. Do that and I will not burn you at the stake."

Merlin nodded, all he could manage from the fear that rewound itself around his chest from Uther's proximity and tone. "Yes, sire." Uther huffed, turned, and left the room. Merlin sighed deeply, once, before turning to business. "What happened, Gaius?"

Gaius shrugged. "I'm not sure. Uther went to see Arthur this morning and found he was missing and no one has any idea where he is. I went and looked at it myself earlier. It was very strange," he trailed off.

"What was?" Merlin asked curiously.

Gaius took a breath. "There was water on the floor from the door to the bed, and then down the hall and outside. I thought maybe someone was out in the rain but-"

"But it didn't rain last night," Merlin interrupted. Gaius gave him a disapproving look momentarily before brushing it off.

"Exactly," he said. "And there's no other evidence that anything at all happened."

Merlin waved his finger around and shook his head. "No…No, Arthur's been acting strange. I told you something was wrong," he said. "Arthur wasn't himself yesterday; from the whole breakfast incident to that long ride we took in the woods to 'clear his head.' He wandered around near where we went hunting the other day and sat and stared, but we didn't do much actual riding." He snapped his fingers. "He mentioned a horse. A great black horse. He said it had scared the deer off when we were hunting and he was trying to see if we could find it. Maybe that has something to do with this."

"A horse?" Gaius clarified. He shook his head. "I'm not sure about that. But pack your bags; you've got a prince to save. I'll see if I can't find out what the water means, and if maybe this black horse means anything, or Arthur's behavior."

…

…

Merlin walked into Gaius' chambers again fifteen minutes later, his horse all packed and ready to go. Now all he needed was a place to go.

"Gaius!" he called as he raced through the door. "You find anything?"

Gaius pulled himself from a book. "Not much, I'm afraid. There are many myths and legends pertaining to water creatures of magic, many of them horses, but all I can tell you is that it probably took him to the lake or river it came from."

"You don't know what it _is_?"

Gaius shook his head solemnly. "I'm sorry, Merlin. I don't want to say 'guess' but there really is no way of knowing where it, if it was a magical creature, took him."

Merlin frowned. Then he had an idea and a smile jumped to his face. "I read about this in my magic book," he began, already heading for his room. "There's a spell for searching for things you can't find." He vanished for a few moments and then returned with his book. "If I just put Arthur's name in the spell in place of the object...it should tell me where he is."

Gaius looked so proud.

…

…

Morgause smiled as the beautiful woman neared the lake, Prince Arthur in tow. His eyes were glazed over and his movements were slow, just the way she wanted him.

"Very good," Morgause complimented the woman. "Now, take him into the water and do with him as you wish."

The woman nodded. She seemed to fade away for a moment and then suddenly in her place stood the great water horse once more. It moved a step to the right and Arthur's left hand hit its right flank. The glaze left his eyes, replaced by an almost repulsed look.

"Ugh!" he let out. "It's clammy. Why is it-" He stopped midsentence and looked around, the confusion in his eyes and on his face growing with each new tree he saw until his eyes came to rest on Morgause. "_Morgause_," he let out lowly, glaring at her.

Morgause smirked. "Hello, Prince Arthur," she greeted evenly, inclining her head minutely as if bowing to him. "So nice to see you again."

Arthur glared. "You tried to destroy my kingdom. You tried to kill my father. Forgive me if I don't share the sentiment."

Morgause shrugged, uncaring. "It matters not. You won't be around for much longer anyhow." She nodded toward the lake to her right and Arthur's left.

Before Arthur could ask her what she meant, he felt his arm tugged and became suddenly and intensely aware of the horse beside him. It began walking toward the lake at an unconcerned pace.

"What?" Arthur gasped. "What is this?" He dug his feet into the Earth but found that did nothing to slow the progress of the horse or to remove his hand from its back. "Release me!"

"You may have pulled the sword from the stone, but there is no way to pull your hand from the Kelpie's touch," Morgause informed him, sounding almost pleased.

Arthur turned to her even as he stumbled along after the horse. "Make it release me. Why would you do this to me?"

"Uther must suffer," Morgause began. "After so many failed attempts, I realized what truly motivates your father is family." Arthur's bare feet hit the water and he physically jumped in surprise, renewing his efforts to pull his hand away from the Kelpie. "Losing you, his beloved son, will probably drive him mad," Morgause finished almost gleefully.

"ARTHUR!"

"What?" Arthur asked, turning to the line of trees around the lake.

"What?" Morgause agreed, also searching for the source of the voice.

Merlin burst through the trees on a brown horse, looking every bit like a knight showing up in the nick of time - sans armor. Merlin's eyes landed on Morgause first but quickly veered to Arthur, now thigh deep in the water and going down.

"Merlin?" Arthur gasped. "What on earth-"

"No time," Merlin interrupted. "Use this!" He tossed Arthur's sword into the air toward the prince and Arthur caught it perfectly in his right hand, even though he was almost backwards.

"You-!" Morgause cursed. She stopped herself short and instead focused on Arthur as he attempted to unsheathe his sword with one hand. "Go faster!"

The horse faltered one step before pretty much galloping the rest of the way in to the lake. Arthur gasped in a breath of air just before his head went underwater. Several seconds passed and Morgause smirked, turning back to Merlin.

"It was thoughtful of you to bring him a weapon, but too late," she informed him, taking a step away from the water. She walked all the way over to stand next to Merlin on the horse and looked up at him curiously. "I still wonder what it is that keeps you so loyal to him."

Merlin didn't look at her. He kept his eyes on the water where Arthur went under. "There are many reasons," he said evenly, "but I doubt you would understand even if I told you." He smiled. "Arthur is Arthur, and that is enough."

The surface of the water broke then, and Arthur gasped for air. Morgause's face fell while Merlin's smile widened. He dismounted and hurried to the edge of the lake to help Arthur out of the water. His white night shirt and black sleep pants were soaked through, but he still held both his sword and its sheath in his hands as he half-stumbled on shore. Merlin took him by the shoulders and hefted him away from the water and towards the horse. He looked around on the way there and noticed that Morgause was nowhere in sight. Setting Arthur on the ground near the horse, Merlin opened his pack and pulled out a blanket - his personal traveling blanket - to set around Arthur's shoulders.

"God," Arthur was gasping, dropping the sword and sheath to the side. "You couldn't give me the sword by itself?" he complained.

Merlin frowned. "Sorry, I think you'd be more upset if you'd cut your hand catching it than having a bit of water in your mouth," he stated almost angrily.

Arthur shook his arms, flinging water everywhere. After a few more breaths, he cast a curious look Merlin's way. "How did you know it would release me if I attacked it with my sword?"

Merlin shrugged. "That sword marks your destiny. If it was any other sword I wouldn't be sure, but that sword is magic. If nothing else, it would probably kill the beast and you'd be set free then."

Merlin's goofy smile offset his almost-wise reasoning. Arthur shook his head and huffed a breath. "Sometimes you _amaze_ me, Merlin." He laughed and then dropped his head, still recovering from nearly drowning. A few laughs later he stopped abruptly and looked around with a glare. "Where's Morgause?"

Merlin shrugged, looking around as well. "She vanished when you came back out of the lake."

Arthur turned his glare on Merlin. "You let her go?"

Merlin glared back. "I was trying to save _you_!" His glare ended abruptly and he instead shoved Arthur in the arm. Still off balance from the whole ordeal, Arthur fell completely over.

Arthur stared at Merlin in wide eyed shock for several moments before grinning evilly and tackling Merlin to the ground. Merlin sqawked when Arthur hoisted him up by the neckerchief and tugged him toward the lake.

"What are you doing?" Merlin squeaked. "What about the water horse?" He didn't want to drown!

Arthur smirked. "Oh I'm sure you'll be _fine_. You're too small to eat and you're useless at everything else. Don't worry so much, _Mer_lin," he said teasingly before lifting Merlin into the air and tossing him into the water.

Merlin let out a yell, not girly but still a tad higher than normal, before hitting the water with an angry sounding splash. He jumped up and scrambled back to shallower waters like death itself was chasing him and coughed out the water he'd swallowed.

"Oh god, you're such a prat," he wheezed.

Arthur grinned, arms crossed against his soaked chest. "And you're a girl, which makes us even I think. Now," he uncrossed his arms and made his way over to the horse, "let's get back and change out of these clothes before we both catch something." He sniffed himself and groaned. "Uck. And I definitely need a bath."

Merlin shook his head, sending water flying in every direction, before huffing and hurrying over to where Arthur was mounting the horse. He grabbed the blanket off the ground on his way and they began the trek (in Merlin's case) back to Camelot.

In the shadows, Morgause frowned at the scene. Uther was still alive and well and Merlin...Merlin was becoming a problem.

…

…

**Next Time:**

_It's Uther's birthday and Camelot is hosting a great feast in his honor. The festivities are brought to an abrupt end when an assassin appears and attempts to take Uther's life. Merlin saves the King but may have ended his own life in the process. With Merlin teetering on the brink of death and Arthur out hunting his attacker, Uther makes a final decision at last: let Merlin live and keep the knowledge of his magic secret….or let him die and have one less sorcerer to deal with._


	5. Proof of Loyalty

It seems like everyone thinks Merlin throwing Arthur the sword from the stone was Merlin handing Arthur the prophesied magic sword. No. Merlin is supposed to hand Arthur a _different_ magic sword. Though it is very interesting to get this viewpoint. I'm glad you all like this so far and I hope you continue to read until the end.

Oh, and I found out why I'm not getting any of the reviews for this (which typically is what reminds me to post). For some reason, FF decided to shut off all our alerts so we don't get anything at all about stories or reviews or PMs or anything. (not happy) Hopefully we've fixed it, but only time will tell.

* * *

**Proof of Loyalty**

It's Uther's birthday and Camelot is hosting a great feast in his honor. The festivities are brought to an abrupt end when an assassin appears and attempts to take Uther's life. Merlin saves the King but may have ended his own life in the process. With Merlin teetering on the brink of death and Arthur out hunting his attacker, Uther makes a final decision at last: let Merlin live and keep the knowledge of his magic secret….or let him die and have one less sorcerer to deal with.

…

…

A man, a farmer, ran through the forest as fast as he could. His breathing was harsh and he felt like he was about to pass out from the exertion, but he had to go faster. He couldn't stop. Camelot was just a few miles away. He had to get there in time. He had to.

Suddenly a man stood before him and he skid to a stop. His eyes widened in fear, recognizing who this man was. "It is not nice to eavesdrop," the man before him spoke calmly.

The farmer gasped in a few breaths. "It's not nice to plot to kill the king either," he nearly spat out, fear making him shake but his voice strong nonetheless.

The man narrowed his eyes. "Why, good sir, whatever do you mean?" he asked innocently, though he held a dangerous aura about him.

"I…heard you," the farmer managed. "I saw the whole thing and I won't let you get away with it."

The dangerous man frowned and shook his head. "I'm sorry but….I can't let you get any closer to Camelot." He took a step toward the farmer, who took a step back. In an instant, he was behind the farmer with his hands on the farmer's shoulders. "Good-bye, peasant."

The peasant screamed. His body fell dead to the ground.

…

…

"_Merlin_," Arthur whined. "My father's birthday is in two days and I have yet to find him a worthy gift." He sighed, collapsing in a very un-princely manner into his chair by the fire. "I'm blaming you," he said childishly.

Merlin gaped at him from where he was poking the wood in the fireplace. "What?" he gasped out. "How is this _my_ fault? And seriously, what are you even talking about? You bought him the most prized horse in all of Camelot that wasn't already owned by the King. You killed the biggest buck I've _ever_ seen and had its head stuffed and mounted. You've been on your best behavior. You _haven't_ dethroned him. What else do you want? A _dragon_?" he listed on his fingers and then flopped his hands to his sides.

Arthur gave Merlin an interested look. Merlin groaned.

"No. No. Come on, that's impossible! You remember what happened with the last one, and besides….you killed the last dragon, remember?" Merlin rushed out.

Arthur frowned again. "Father has a _hundred_ mounted buck, and a _dozen_ prized horses. And I don't think the rest of the court will care that I haven't _dethroned_ him, as you put it," he complained lightly. "I need something new."

Merlin knelt down by the fireplace and tried to think. Typically, the nobles around Camelot simply brought Uther chests of gold or servants or something like that. But Arthur's gold was kind of already considered Uther's gold, and the only servant he had was Merlin himself, and there was no way he was suggesting Arthur make him Uther's manservant. For one, Uther would never agree. For another….

"_You are a lying sorcerer and I will see you burned for treason! If you are so bent on the pyre, then I will use the executioner's block."_

Merlin gulped, glancing at the fire. He moved away from it in what he hoped was an inconspicuous way.

"A new sword?" Merlin suggested nervously as he moved. Arthur immediately looked to the sword he'd pulled from the stone. It sat on the table not two feet from him, just in case. Merlin noticed. "Well obviously not _that_ sword," he said like the very idea was ludicrous. "But like….a new sword. Maybe one with rubies or emeralds in the hilt. That'd be impressive, right?"

Arthur gave Merlin a once over. After a long moment, "That's not a bad idea, Merlin." He gave a tiny smile, which Merlin returned.

…

…

Two days later was the King's banquet to celebrate his birthday. More nobles than ever before were in attendance and Uther had no doubt it was because Arthur had pulled that sword from that stone. No matter, though. It simply meant that he would get many more gifts this year.

As Merlin had predicted, he received many chests of gold and jewels and many servants. He also received a statue of himself, two horses (one from Arthur, the other from Morgana), a live stag and a dead one (from Arthur), and three farms worth of animals. Arthur waited until last to give Uther the sword he'd had made. He stood and Merlin handed him the sword in its sheath. Arthur walked over to his father and knelt as he handed the sword over. Once Uther had it, he moved out of the way so the rest of the room could see it.

The sword was nearly perfect. It wasn't so nearly perfect as the one Merlin had had enriched magically for Arthur, but it was still pretty good. The hilt was infused with rubies and emeralds about the size of small coins. It was beautiful.

"Very good, Arthur," Uther complimented, raising the sword to show the rest of the room. "This is a worthy gift for your father and king," he said louder.

The room grew loud with the claps of the guests and servants. Merlin paused in his clapping when a shadow passed over a window across the room. He looked closer and his eyes widened. There was a man perched in the open window on the second floor with a crossbow! They were aiming at….He turned his head and froze. Uther!

Just as the arrow was loosed, Merlin shouted "Watch out!" and ran forward. His eyes flashed gold, slowing time just a bit and giving him that extra second to reach the king. He didn't have time to pull him out of the way like he had with Arthur, so he simply slammed right into Uther, knocking him out of the way. The arrow pierced Merlin's side, time returned to normal, and he cried out in pain. "Ah!"

Merlin and Uther fell to the ground at approximately the same time. The sword Arthur had given him clattered to the ground and the whole room looked from where he'd fallen to the other side of the room, looking for where the arrow had come from.

"There!" a man called, pointing. Everyone looked up to see the man in the window. He was dressed in dark clothes with a mask over his face and had a crossbow in his hands.

Instead of fleeing immediately, the man stood up in the window, blocking out more moonlight. "Long live the true King!" he shouted before jumping from the window to someplace beyond view.

"After him!" Arthur shouted to him men. "He tried to kill the king!" His knights ran from the room after the would-be assassin while servants began to lead their nobles back to their rooms. Morgana had already vanished from the room. Arthur hurried over to where his father lay. "Father! Are you hurt?"

Uther pushed himself up off the floor, shock still on his face. "I'm fine," he said simply, turning to look at where Merlin was.

Gwen and Gaius were already bent over beside him, trying to help in some way. Arthur, certain his father wasn't hurt, turned to Merlin and knelt by him instead. "Merlin," he let out quietly.

The arrow was lodged in the right side of Merlin's chest, exactly opposite where his heart was. He was sort of spazzing on the ground, even as Gwen held his hand tight and Gaius tried to hold him still so he wouldn't bleed so much. Merlin's eyes snapped to Arthur's face when he spoke. He opened his mouth to say something, but a strange choking sound is all that made it out and he shut his eyes for the pain. Arthur cringed.

"You saved my father," Arthur said tightly. "I swear he won't get away with this. Just….don't die on me."

Uther was shocked at the emotion Arthur was showing for a simple servant. He truthfully wasn't sure if Arthur was mad at the assassin for _trying_ to kill his father or for actually _hitting_ his servant. His shock went off the charts though at Merlin's reaction. He opened his eyes and gave Arthur a sure smile, like he had no doubt Arthur could catch the guy while at the same time promising to stay alive.

"Ye-aa," he forced out, then grunted and twitched.

"Go, Arthur," Gwen ordered softly, brokenly. Arthur nodded to her, jumped up, and ran from the room after his knights. As soon as he was gone, Gwen looked back to Merlin with a desperate expression. "It'll be ok, Merlin. You'll be ok."

Merlin tried to smile but cringed instead and then lost consciousness.

Several servants showed up then and Gaius ordered them to lift Merlin and carry him as gently as they could back to his chambers. Uther had barely managed to pick himself up off the floor by the time they were gone. With the room empty, you would never guess what had just taken place. The only evidence was the small pool of blood just in front of Uther's throne. Uther stared at that spot, barely able to breathe.

Merlin. That boy. That sorcerer. He'd saved Uther's life. It made no sense, none at all. Uther had threatened to kill him. Uther knew what he was. Uther could have him beheaded at any moment. Uther had killed countless magic users. That sorcerer should want him dead more than anyone. If Uther died, his secret would be safe again – _he_ would be safe again. If Uther died, Arthur would be king and Merlin would no longer have to hide what he was and he could take the seat of power at Arthur's side. But he'd saved Uther's life. Despite all the outcomes in his favor, Merlin had saved Uther's life.

But why?

A female servant entered the room and hurried over to him. "My lord," she announced herself softly.

Uther snapped his gaze from the blood on the ground to her face. "What is it?" he asked.

She bowed. "Is there anything I can do for you, sire?" she asked gently.

Uther shook his head. "No. I'm fine. Go tend to our guests," he ordered without his usual bite. Perhaps he was in shock or something.

The maid curtsied again and hurried from the room to do as he'd ordered. Uther looked back at the blood.

Why?

…

…

The assassin cursed. He could hear Arthur's dogs close behind him. Then suddenly Arthur stood in front of him. The assassin slid to a stop before him. "Prince Arthur," he greeted with a short bow of his head.

Arthur took a step towards him and ripped the cloth from his face. "I want to see your face before I kill you," he seethed.

The rest of his knights and his dogs had surrounded them now. The assassin looked around himself and then gave Arthur a curious look. "I do not understand, sire. I was trying to help you."

"Help me?" Arthur spat out. "By _killing_ my father?" he asked incredulously.

The assassin nodded. "You cannot be king until your father dies. The glorious age you will bring into being cannot come to pass until you are crowned king."

Arthur scowled. "I am not ready to be king!" he shouted angrily. "My _father_ is a great king. He is not perfect but that is no reason to kill him. If you wanted to help me, you would have left him alone. Now, you've attacked my father _and_ my servant….You will die."

The assassin's eyes widened for a moment, and then he glared. "Fine. I will accept the rule of the true king…..if you can beat me." He pulled a sword on Arthur and the knights tensed, waiting only for Arthur's word to attack.

Arthur smirked. "Agreed. Know this though….I've been trained to kill since birth. I will not go easy on you."

The assassin smirked. "I have been trained as well. I would accept no less," he practically breathed out. He bowed to Arthur for a moment before leaping forward and slashing downward at Arthur.

Arthur blocked it with his own sword and shoved the man back. The assassin barely paused for a moment before he was back at Arthur, swinging his sword fast toward Arthur's left side. Arthur again blocked it with his own sword, but he had no time to retaliate because suddenly the assassin's sword was gone and coming at him from the right. Arthur barely managed to jump back in time to miss being cleaved in two. The knight's held their breaths, ready to jump in at any moment.

"Stay back!" Arthur shouted as he caught himself, now outside of the attack. He brought his sword up in front, successfully blocking an attack just as it was made. The assassin's eyes widened at having been predicted, and now Arthur had both swords up in the air and out of the way for a moment. Arthur pushed the assassin's sword away and rammed him, hard, with his shoulder.

The assassin fell back, but not down. But now Arthur had the advantage. He began pressing down on the assassin, making him parry Arthur's attacks. He swung high on the assassin's shoulders on the left side, then from above and down the middle, then he aimed somewhere closer to the assassin's right thigh, and then again at the shoulders on the left side. Arthur pushed him back several feet and the assassin grit his teeth in frustration. He managed to dodge one of Arthur's attacks and pulled out an arrow from inside his robes. He jabbed at Arthur with it, but Arthur side stepped and it only grazed his left arm. He still let out a short cry at the wound and the knights practically leapt at the assassin all at once, but Arthur clamped a hand over it and glared at them quickly before turning back to the battle.

Arthur swung out with his sword only in his right hand suddenly and the assassin's eyes widened when the sword caught him on the back of his right wrist even as he jumped back out of range. It wasn't a deep cut, but he couldn't feel his fingers properly anymore and the sword dropped from his hand. Arthur stood at the ready, waiting for the assassin to make the next move. The assassin looked from the sword on the ground to Arthur before him and the knights behind Arthur, and then turned and ran.

"After him!" Arthur shouted and the whole company moved as one body, chasing after the potential killer of a king.

The assassin ran fast and soon the knights lost him. Arthur cursed under his breath but paused and knelt on the ground. In the light from the moon, on the grass, he could see….

"Get the dogs," he told a knight quietly, looking around. He didn't want to alert the enemy of his discovery. "There's blood from where I cut him. It's too dark to follow, but the dogs can sniff him out." He glared into the night even as his hunting dogs were brought to him. They would find him.

…

…

Uther walked into Gaius's chambers. "Leave us," he said to Gwen, who was dabbing at Merlin's chest in the general area of the wound, trying to clean him up a bit. The arrow had been pulled out and the wound bandaged, but it was bleeding heavily. At his words, Gwen looked up and waited only a moment before hurrying away.

"Sire," Gaius began before Uther could say a word. "I don't know what you think of him, but I won't stop trying to save him." He was looking through his books frantically. He shut the book in front of him angrily. "Not that I probably can anyway," he growled.

Uther shook his head numbly. "He saved my life…"

Gaius nodded. "That he did. Though I'm not entirely sure why," he murmured practically to himself. Uther understood though. Gaius knew what Uther knew: that Merlin would be better off if Uther was dead. Both older men looked over when Merlin groaned and gasped as he regained consciousness. Gaius rushed over to him. "Merlin."

Merlin lifted his left hand jerkily and laid it on his own chest near the arrow wound. Gaius pulled Merlin's hand away.

"Don't touch it, Merlin," he chastised. Merlin let out a whine of a noise. Gaius frowned, glanced at Uther, and looked down into Merlin's eyes. "Merlin, I'm trying, I really am….but I don't think there's anything I can do." He looked pained. "I'm sorry." Merlin squinted at him unhappily.

"Heal yourself."

Gaius looked over at Uther curiously. Uther pushed Gaius away from Merlin smoothly and took up his position looking into Merlin's eyes.

"Heal yourself," he repeated in a low voice. "You cannot die here, in this way. You are the sorcerer meant to serve and protect Arthur all the days of his life, in all that he does. So use a spell and heal this wound in your chest. I swear not to harm you in any way, on my honor as King."

Merlin stared at him for a moment, and then held his hand near the arrow wound. His mouth moved but no noise came out. Uther watched in horrified fascination as Merlin's eyes turned gold. They stayed that way for several long moments, in which Merlin didn't seem to breathe, and then the gold faded back to blue and Merlin let his hand drop to his chest. It hit right where the bandages were and he flinched.

"Ow," he let out.

Gaius moved to Merlin's other side. "Merlin?"

Merlin turned his head to Gaius in a tired manner. "I'll live." He moved to sit up but cringed, so Gaius helped him. "Not…entirely healed though." Uther grunted and Merlin turned to look at him. He made eye contact for a moment and then dropped his eyes to the floor. "Um…," he began quietly, "Thank you….my lord."

Uther let out a grunt like sound again. "If you can't even heal one wound, then I suppose you're not even much of a threat as a sorcerer. You're as _useless_ as ever, boy," he said before promptly turning and leaving the room.

Merlin and Gaius stared at the door for several long moments and then Merlin turned to look at Gaius. "What?"

Gaius smiled. "Apparently, you've won over even the King. Really," he nearly laughed. "There is just _something_ about you, Merlin."

Merlin smiled for a moment, laughed, and then groaned and held his chest tenderly. "I guess," he wheezed out. "He acts just like Arthur, though." Gaius raised a curious eyebrow but said nothing.

Gaius's door was still open, so it was easy for Arthur to get in. In fact, he rushed in with a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead looking like he'd run the whole way back. And he had: as soon as he'd taken care of the sorry excuse for a human that caused this whole mess. The first thing he saw was Merlin, sitting up, with a smile on his face. He practically fell down right there in the doorway.

Merlin looked over at him, blinking curiously. "Arthur…."

Arthur took four quick and determined steps to get to Merlin's side and then stopped. He just stared at Merlin for several long moments and then, slowly, he placed his left hand on Merlin's right shoulder. "I owe you for what you did."

Merlin shook his head slowly. "No you don't."

Arthur squeezed Merlin's shoulder. "Yes I do. You saved the kingdom….again." Arthur pulled his hand back and shrugged. "Take as much time as you need recovering." His voice changed then, from caring to princely. "I'll even give you a break and let some of the other servants do _your_ duties. In fact, I'll probably get _better_ service from them," he said with a cough, turning and leaving before he could be considered 'soft.'

He got to the door just as Gwen did and they both stopped and stared at each other. "Um," Gwen let out, turning slightly to the left. "I need to…"

"Oh," Arthur let out, moving so she could get around him. "Of course."

Gwen curtsied. "Thank you." She took about a step past Arthur and saw Merlin sitting up. "Merlin!" she cried out, running over and practically launching herself on him. Merlin hissed and fell back when she hit him and Gwen pushed herself up immediately. "Sorry. Sorry. Are you ok?"

Merlin gave a little laugh. "I'll live," he rasped out.

Arthur watched this whole interaction with a sad look on his face. He was the prince, the future king, and Merlin was a servant. Gwen was a servant. He could never show either of them more affection than he would to…say…a horse. But how he'd wanted to do as Gwen had and embrace Merlin, he'd been so relieved to see him alive and recovering.

With a sigh, Arthur left the room.

…

…

Morgause practically growled and threw a rock against the far wall. It shattered into a million pieces.

"Calm down," Morgana said softly. Morgause turned her glare on Morgana, but couldn't hold it when looking at her sister, and merely frowned deeply. "We'll get him yet."

Morgause took a step toward her sister. "How?" she asked. "He is protected."

Morgana gave an evil smile. "Leave it to me. I am Uther's precious daughter. He'll never suspect a thing."

"Beware of Merlin," Morgause warned. "He knows we're still connected."

Morgana moved over to Morgause's seeing crystal and caressed it. Merlin's face appeared, Gaius feeding him some sort of potion. "Don't worry. I'll take care of him if he gets in the way." She frowned at the vision in the crystal as Merlin winced at the taste and Gaius laughed. "He won't be a problem."

…

…

**Next Time: Black Shuck**

_A new chapter in Merlin has begun._

_Uther, though uncertain, now trusts Merlin as a sorcerer. Arthur's destiny is to become King and he is on his way to achieving it. But Arthur isn't the only one with a destiny._

_Uther witnesses a great black dog in the throne room during an important council meeting, though no one else sees it. Gaius calls it a Barghest, a Black Shuck. Any who see a Barghest are fated to die. Can Merlin save the King, again, or is this a sign that it is time for Arthur to ascend the throne at last?_


	6. The Black Shuck

Thank you all so much for all your wonderful reviews! You're all so wonderful and I love you!

I was going to wait until Friday to post, but since 1)I probably won't be here on Friday and 2)It's Thanksgiving tomorrow, I decided to post the next chapter tonight. I hope you like it!

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**Black Shuck**

_Uther witnesses a great black dog in the throne room during an important council meeting, though no one else sees it. Gaius calls it a Barghest, a Black Shuck. Any who see a Barghest are fated to die. What does this mean for Uther? For Arthur? Is this a sign that it is time for Arthur to ascend the throne at last?_

…

…

A/N: This part draws its inspiration from quite a bit of research surrounding the legends of the Barghest, Black Shuck/Black Chuck, and Black Dog, among other incarnations of the creature.

…

…

The darkness enveloped everything. Not a speck of light could penetrate it. For awhile, the only sound he heard was the sound of his own heavy breathing. A fog drifted in, foreboding in its very presence, coating the ground in a thick layer. Then the sound of claws clicking on a stone floor; slow, deliberate steps; a predator stalking its prey. His breathing quickened; he felt adrenaline pulse through his veins.

Before his very eyes, a beast emerged from the darkness. Its head was a great shaggy mass of black fur, barely distinguishable from the abyss he was in, with large ears and menacing fangs. He looked up into its eyes, burning, flaming, blazing, and screamed.

Uther sat bolt upright in bed, hands clutching under his pillow for the dagger he kept hidden there just in case. He looked around the dark room, the moonlight pouring in through his windows, and listened….Nothing but the soft, peaceful sounds of night and his own breathing reached his ears. Slowly, Uther felt his pulse slow until his heart beat at a normal pace. It had all be a dream, a nightmare.

But what did the dream mean?

…

…

Uther had pushed the dream to the sidelines of his thoughts, or rather….he'd shoved it kicking and screaming into a small room in the back of his mind and locked the door until he had time to deal with it. For now, he was dealing with the actual, pressing matters of his country. The nobility of Camelot were gathered and he was listening to them each take turns explaining how their homesteads were faring. There had been a shortage of rain in the north. Wild fox were running rampant in the southeast. There had been a surplus of cereal crops in the west. These were things he truly needed to focus on; not silly dreams.

Except that dreams typically remained inside your head.

Uther's eyes widened as a gargantuan sized black dog as big as a large warhorse walked into vision from the left side of the room and stalked slowly to the center of the room right in front of Uther's ornate chair. The King found himself petrified. The beast was real! He looked from one side of the room to the other, but every noble around him was staring at Sir Lonzell as he explained how his wife had come up with a better way of weaving wool and it was producing more clothing than the people in his area needed. No one was even slightly bothered by the huge dog standing menacingly in the middle of the room.

He realized with possibly even more panic that he was the only one who could see the beast. Magic? Or was he going mad?

"My lord?" Sir Lonzell prodded vocally and Uther blinked out of his thoughts.

The beast had vanished. Uther turned his attention back to his nobles, who were regarding him curiously. Giving a tiny smile, he said, "That sounds wonderful, Sir Lonzell. Arthur, what do you think he should do?"

Arthur sat up straighter in his chair. Uther had no doubts that Arthur had been only half listening the whole time. His son had always found these events rather boring at best and Uther hoped to get him to pay more attention before he handed over the kingdom.

"I think he should give the extra clothing to the people who need it the most," Arthur offered easily.

"But what about making a profit?" he asked.

Arthur shrugged. "Making money is all good and well, but there are plenty of people who can't afford to buy new clothes, and others who simply do not have the resources to make their own. What good is having more money if the country suffers for it?"

Uther felt pride rising up in him. That had been an excellent answer. He saw the nobles around the room all nodding in agreement and Arthur looked to him for recognition. He nodded and Arthur's shoulders lost a bit of tension.

In this case, Uther did not quite agree with his son. Uther was a bit of a greedy King when it came to gold and riches; he supported the idea of selling the extra clothing for a profit – a small profit. The clothing could be sold for the cheapest price and still make something valuable for the work involved. But Arthur had won the hearts of the nobility with his answer and he had sound judgment.

At times like these, even when he was a bit busy thinking he might be losing his mind to a beast, Uther could see the great king his son would one day become. And again, Uther pushed any thoughts of the beast away to focus on the present.

…

…

Gaius and Merlin had just finished eating supper when Uther came into the room. The King looked frazzled, all out of sorts in a way neither had ever seen before. He'd demanded Gaius look him over for any infirmities. When Gaius had given him a clear bill of health, Uther had demanded Gaius check him for spells and enchantments.

"What is this about, sire?" Gaius asked worriedly. "You're as healthy as you have ever been. Why are you so worried?"

Uther shook his head. "I keep….," he trailed off, glancing at Merlin suspiciously. Merlin gave off the perfect air of innocence and confusion. Uther looked to Gaius again. "I dreamt of a great black beast of a dog last night, and then today during the hearings it walked into the room. It was as big as a horse, but no one even looked at it. And then just now, at dinner, I saw it circle the table where Morgana, Arthur, and I sat eating. It growled at me, but Morgana and Arthur didn't react."

Gaius made a noise low in his throat, like he was trying to decide whether to believe something was really going on, or to start prescribing medication for hallucinations. Uther frowned at him, practically insulted by Gaius' lack of faith in his mental stability.

Merlin gasped, nearly taking a step back. Energy. Magic. It was almost like a physical blow to his chest!

Uther looked over at Merlin and his eyes widened. The great black beast of a dog was walking past Merlin and towards Uther, as always with slow and deliberate steps. It gave what must have been a beastly smile, every pointed tooth showing, fixed Uther with its blazing eyes, and then a low voice, something like Uther imagined a demon to possess, spoke inside his mind.

"_Your destiny, Uther Pendragon….."_

Uther shut his eyes tight for a moment and when he opened them again, Merlin was looking around the room with fright in his eyes and the great beast was gone. Uther searched the room once quickly before focusing on Merlin. "You," he said, but it wasn't an accusation, it was a call for attention.

Merlin gasped softly, turning to face Uther, surprised he was being addressed and worried what that meant. "Sire?"

"You saw it?" he asked. "Just now. It was here. Did you see it?"

Gaius looked between the two of them, but kept silent. Merlin shook his head. "No." Uther frowned at him, clear disbelief written all over his face, and Merlin shook his head. "It was here." He looked at Gaius. "It's got really powerful magic, Gaius. Scarily powerful."

"So you saw it?" Gaius asked, as if Uther hadn't just asked that same question.

Merlin shook his head, his thoughts mirroring Uther's on the subject. "No. I felt it." He glanced at Uther, reading his expression. Uther's expression was pensive, calculating, his eyes locked on Merlin's form. It was _so_ _weird_ discussing magic openly in front of Uther. Merlin was still trying to not shake in fear of the executioner's axe just thinking about Uther in the room with him.

Gaius nodded and headed for his books. "And you said it was a great black dog, sire?" he asked Uther simply. Uther nodded and made an affirmative sound. "Hmm…"

"Do you know what it is, Gaius?" Uther asked, worry seeping into his words.

Gaius shook his head. "No. But I'll let you know as soon as I have an idea. I remember reading about something like this somewhere….I'm just not sure where." He pulled a heavy looking book off the shelf and stumbled under its weight. Merlin's eyes flashed gold and the book floated an inch off Gaius's hands. Gaius shot him a very unamused look, while pushing the floating book toward the table, and glanced toward Uther and then back to Merlin.

Merlin gasped, the spell on the book ceasing suddenly. Luckily, Gaius already had it hovering over where it needed to go and it simply dropped with a loud thud to the table. Merlin turned to Uther abruptly, fear etched onto his features. Uther's jaw was tight, his eyes hard, fists clenched in his leather gloves on the tabletop.

"Listen, boy," Uther said in a warning tone. "I may have promised not to have you killed for healing yourself, but I would greatly appreciate it if you did _not_ do such things in my presence. Magic is _still_ treason and I am _still_ king." Merlin nodded frantically.

"Sorry, sire," he half-stuttered out, taking a step back from the king.

Gaius cleared his throat as he opened the book. "For now, sire, I'd recommend you go and get some rest. You haven't looked this pale in almost a year. I will send word of what I find." Uther nodded, his jaw still held tight, stood from where he sat, and stalked from the room. Gaius sighed heavily. "Merlin, are you _mad_?"

Merlin shrugged helplessly. "I'm sorry. I wasn't even thinking. I guess I figured it didn't matter since he already knew and I do that sort of thing when we're alone and….and I don't know! It just happened!" he half-whined.

Gaius shook his head and went back to his book. Almost immediately he gasped. "Merlin. I think I've found it."

Merlin blinked. "Already?"

Gaius nodded. "A barghest." He trailed his finger along the page as he read. "A legendary monstrous black dog with huge teeth and claws, and malevolent flaming eyes. The beast varies in size and stature from that of simply a large dog to being the size of a horse. Its appearance is regarded as a portent of…death." He looked up at Merlin with worry etched into his features for a brief moment before his eyes shot back to the book, quickly scanning the information recorded beneath the image of a great black dog. "I should report this to Uther."

Something about his tone was off. "Gaius," Merlin began. Gaius shut the book and looked up at his charge. "What's wrong? What did it say?"

"A barghest is a creature that appears to warn of death. The one who can see it….is fated to die."

…

…

"A what?"

Uther was standing in his chambers, hands on the back of an intricately carved chair, fingers gripping it tight. He hadn't yet had time to change into sleep clothes and get in bed, which was just as well because Merlin always felt he was intruding when the King was in his undergarments….and it was particularly awkward when the man was awake.

"A Barghest," Gaius repeated patiently, holding the heavy leather bound book in both hands, still shut. He'd only brought the book in case Uther wanted to see it for himself. Merlin stood a step behind Gaius, near the closed and locked door.

"And you say that because I can see this….this….burgest-"

"Barghest."

Uther shot Gaius a look. "Because I can see this _beast_," he hissed out, "that I am going to die?"

Gaius gave a half shrug. "The text seems to suggest so, sire. Any who have laid eyes on the Barghest have died."

Uther gulped, shaking his head slowly back and forth. Merlin shifted on his feet. He didn't think he'd made much noise, but Uther's head shot up and he stared straight at him. "Could you stop it?" he asked simply, quickly, in a quiet rush.

"What?" Merlin gaped.

Gaius shook his head, stepping sideways to block Merlin from view. "Merlin is not experienced enough to know how to deal with this beast, my lord. He is still very naive to the magic creatures of the world. Besides, there is no recorded successful attempt to kill a Barghest. It is suggested that perhaps the beast is already dead to begin with, and is a servant of the underworld sent to collect souls."

There was silence for several long moments and then Uther stood straight, pushing off of the chair back, and looked at his window across the room. Merlin and Gaius both let out breaths of relief in silence.

"I want guards stationed at the door," Uhter began quite suddenly, turning to face Gaius and Merlin again. "If something is coming to kill me, we'll give it hell first."

"But sire, to attempt to kill a-"

"I said!" Uther interrupted. "I want guards stationed at the door, and at every window and stairwell up to this floor. Whatever wants to kill me had better be magic, because it won't be getting anywhere near this room otherwise," he half-seethed, but Merlin could tell the king was frightened.

…

…

The door shut behind them and Gaius began walking away in silence. Merlin hurried after him. "Gaius," he asked in a whisper. "Is there really no way to stop this?"

Gaius looked at the floor as he walked. "I'm afraid not, Merlin. A Barghest is an apparition. It cannot be touched, let alone killed."

Merlin frowned deeply, angry that Gaius was giving up so easily. "Who says it's Uther's time to die, huh? What if Arthur's not ready for him to go yet?" he asked in an angry hiss.

Gaius stopped walking and turned to give Merlin a sorrowful look. "No one is ever ready to lose a loved one, Merlin," he began gently. "I have no doubt that Arthur will mourn for his father's death a great deal, but Arthur is destined to be a great King and you are destined to help him do that. If Uther is to die tonight….then we will have to accept that _now_ is the right time for him to die." He nodded his head as he spoke, like he was trying to convince himself at the same time he was trying to convince Merlin.

Merlin frowned even deeper, but he felt his anger draining away. He'd tried to fight fate before, and he just ended up making things worse every time….but he wasn't quite ready to admit defeat yet.

…

…

Night had fallen. Uther slept soundly in his bed and over a dozen knights and guards stood sentinel around the castle near his chambers, keeping watch. Arthur was one of them. He'd been told there was a threat to his father's life and had immediately taken up charge of the whole mission.

Merlin watched the sky from his place in the vacant field near Camelot. Kilgarrah's giant form flew from the mountains, over the trees, and landed before him. He did not look happy.

"What is it you want now, young warlock?" he asked, agitated.

Merlin shook his head. He and the dragon had not been on the best of terms for awhile now…Merlin had misused his magic, his gifts, one too many times. "A barghest is haunting Uther." Kilgarrah looked intrigued. "I need to know how to kill it and stop Uther's death."

Kilgarrah chuckled lowly. "Foolish child. You cannot kill the Black Shuck. Besides, doing so would not prevent Uther's end." Merlin's eyebrows came together in a question and Kilgarrah answered before the question could be asked. "A Barghest is merely a warning; a sign of what is to come. If Uther can see the creature, it means he is destined to die soon. No amount of magic or physical strength will stop it. There is nothing you can do and I will _not_ help you in some foolish attempt to twist fate," he ended, the agitation back in his voice, double layered.

Merlin gave him a helpless look. "Do you know what his death will do to Arthur?" he asked pleadingly.

Kilgarrah leaned back a bit, regarding Merlin curiously. "It will hurt him no matter when it comes. But trying to change what is already decided would only hasten Uther's death, and that would be worse than simply letting him die."

…

…

The darkness swept around him like waves on the sea and he felt himself pulled to and fro.

"No," he breathed out, unable to make more than a whisper of a sound.

A long, low growl rumbled through the dark and suddenly there it was, towering over him: its teeth shining bright and white in the abyss, its eyes two endless pits of flame. Staring into them, he was certain he could hear the sounds of all those it had come after before him.

"Do you fear death?" a low, dark voice asked, its tone promising and threatening an end all at once.

…

…

Uther sat up in his bed in fright. He scanned the dark room, but found no sign of the Barghest's presence. Slipping from the bed, Uther padded over to the door of his room. He opened the door a crack, enough to look outside but not enough to make any attempt to leave. The guard on the right side of his door glanced over at him.

"Can I get you something, my lord?" he asked.

Uther shook his head. "No. I was merely checking you were still awake," he answered in his typical Kingly voice, belaying nothing of his fright.

The guard nodded and Uther shut the door again, locking it securely.

…

…

"Remind me why you're here again, Merlin?" Arthur asked an hour later.

He was standing at attention in one of the passageways leading to his father's room. Merlin had shown up about two hours ago with Arthur's entire collection of boots, stating that he was going to stand guard with him. He'd since finished polishing more than half the boots he'd brought.

Merlin didn't even pause in his polishing. "Because you'd be lost without me," Merlin joked easily.

Arthur laughed. "Oh, that's right. I forgot how much of an amazing fighter you are," he joked back. "What are you gonna do? Throw my boots at it?" he teased.

Merlin paused at that, giving Arthur a speculative look. Arthur frowned.

"You'd better _not_ throw my boots at it," he warned.

Merlin broke into a grin. "I won't. Just means more work for me later anyway." He sighed lightly. "Nope. I'm here because I know you're worried but you won't admit it and I figured you'd like the company; since you're all alone in this hallway with no one to talk to or pick on."

Arthur didn't have a response to that. Merlin had been his servant for five years now; his friend and, at some times, his secret council. Merlin knew him better than anyone. Sometimes Merlin knew Arthur better than Arthur did. Not that he would ever admit that. Never.

He snickered once and leaned against the cold stone wall to Merlin's left. "Idiot."

"Prat," Merlin countered, quick and light. Arthur had no doubt that Merlin was smiling even though his face was hidden.

Arthur let out a breath, still smiling. "Now, don't tell anyone I said this or you'll end up in the stocks, but…." He looked down the hallway, long and empty and lit only by a few torches. "We're friends… yea?" Merlin stopped polishing and looked up at Arthur with awe filled eyes, but Arthur wasn't looking at him. "I mean, after everything we've been through together….what with your drinking poison for me and my drinking what was _supposed_ to be poison for you….and how you _never_ listen even when I give you a strict order, and you're _always_ telling me how I'm wrong when I make a decision…." It half sounded like Arthur was complaining, but the grin on Merlin's face just kept getting wider. "Well….I'd say that counts as friendship, wouldn't you?" Arthur turned his head to see what Merlin thought and caught sight of his giant smile. He scowled. "Oh, don't look so pleased with yourself. I take it all back. You're nothing but a terrible, horrible servant." He crossed his arms over his chest and looked away again, scowling through the blush covering his cheeks.

Merlin let out a soft laugh that was more like a breath of air. After that, there was silence for a long time. Arthur didn't look at Merlin and Merlin didn't continue polishing. Merlin felt warm all over inside. Arthur had opened up to him and overturned his previous thoughts ("I know I'm a prince so we can't be friends…") and called them "friends." He let out that same sort of breathy laugh again and began polishing the boots.

"I feel the same," he agreed in a soft voice.

Arthur's tense stance softened somewhat, minutely. It was like he'd been afraid Merlin would reject the offer of friendship….

"Ahhhh!"

Arthur tensed, standing tall and drawing his sword from its sheath at the yell from down the hall. "Father," he let out, glancing at Merlin on the ground before running down the hall and out of sight.

Merlin dropped the boots and the polish and took off after Arthur. He turned the corner and stopped dead in his tracks, eyes widening.

OH MY GOD!

There was _giant_ dog the size of a large warhorse standing in the small space between Uther's bedroom door and the wall. Six knights were already on the ground by its feet and seven more were coming up behind it on the other side of the hall. The Barghest was facing where Arthur and Merlin were standing, its head lowered as it sniffed one of the bodies. Merlin noted that there was no blood at all on the ground a moment before the barghest stiffened and lifted its head.

Its eyes were aflame, its teeth were long and looked sharper than any sword Merlin had ever seen. He was scared stiff, unable to move a muscle as he felt those flaming eyes focus on him, curious.

The knights behind it all charged forward, swords raised high. The Barghest's right ear twitched backward like a cat's and its tail lifted, swinging around like it was happy. The moment the fur of the tail touched any part of the knights, armored or otherwise, they suddenly stopped moving and fell to the ground. Seeing his knights fall snapped Arthur out of his daze and he ran forward. That's what got Merlin to move.

"Arthur, wait!" he called, but it was too late. This was too dangerous! The Barghest had taken out every knight without moving a step!

Arthur swung his sword, falling into a crouch to avoid the tail as it came forward, and caught the beast just above the right front paw. To the Barghest and Merlin's surprise, and possibly Arthur's too, the sword left a mark. Arthur smirked at the accomplishment but then his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fell, just like the knights had.

"Arthur!" Merlin shouted desperately. His cry turned the Barghest's attention from his fallen foes to the one still standing and it took a step toward him. Merlin took a step back. "What did you do to them?" he asked in a quiet voice.

"_They slumber. There is no need to protect the king. There is no need of them standing useless and wasted outside these doors."_ The voice was low, dark, and deep, and rattled Merlin down to his very bones, but the Barghest's mouth never moved. It felt like the creature was speaking straight into his mind….

"I will not let Uther die tonight," Merlin declared, his voice still soft, yet determined.

The Barghest laughed and its lips pulled back, showing more of its sharp fangs. _"Uther will not die tonight."_

"What?" Merlin let out, his determination melting into confusion. "But…you're-"

"_How is it you came to be here?"_ the Barghest interrupted. Merlin shut his mouth and gave the creature a confused expression. _"You who will live for a thousand ages….the young immortal before the fall…..,"_ it recited like a well worn story. Its burning eyes lowered to the wound on its leg. _"A great destiny lives here."_

Merlin shook off his confusion. He'd deal with the riddles another day. "What do you mean, Uther will not die tonight?" he asked.

The Barghest's eyes lifted to Merlin again. _"I come with a warning,"_ it began. _"Uther Pendragon will die before the year is out."_ It pulled its head back and howled; something low and ancient and terrifying, chilling Merlin's very soul. He shut his eyes for the pain of it all. _"Long live the King."_

When Merlin opened his eyes, the barghest was gone. Not even the blood from the cut on its leg remained. Merlin searched the empty hall frantically for any sign the beast had been there, but there was nothing, so instead he dropped to his knees next to Arthur and checked for a pulse. He sighed in relief when he found it, strong and sure. Arthur was fine.

The door to Uther's chambers creaked and then Uther pulled the doors open, stepping out of his room with the perfect air of confidence. He regarded the fallen knights with a certain level of horror on his face.

"They're fine," Merlin told him before the king's mind could wonder for long. Uther's expression snapped to blank at the sound of another person's voice and he turned to look at Merlin, collapsed on the floor next to his son. Merlin saw Uther's eyes widen and spoke, again before Uther could draw any real conclusions for himself. "They're all fine. Everyone. No one is dying tonight."

Uther looked from Arthur's sleeping features to Merlin's weary worn face…and nodded. "Call some servants up to get these men back to their respective chambers." Merlin nodded and made to get up, but Uther's voice caught him before he'd even taken a step. "And….thank you….for stopping it….Merlin." He seemed uncomfortable using Merlin's name.

Merlin turned to look at him with a little smile. "I didn't do it," he said. Merlin motioned to Arthur. "Arthur's the only one who even wounded it." Before Uther could ask any more, Merlin had already begun sprinting down the hall and out of sight.

Uther waited until he could no longer hear Merlin's footsteps, and then regarded his slumbering son with a new sort of pride on his face.

…

…

It wasn't until the sun was creeping through the windows in Gaius's tower abode that a thought suddenly occurred to Merlin. "Hey….Gaius?" he asked over his bowl of porridge soup stuff breakfast.

Gaius 'hmm'ed from his side of the table. "What is it, Merlin?"

Merlin shook his head. "The barghest," he began, and Gaius looked suddenly more serious and at attention. "When it attacked outside of Uther's chambers…everyone could see it, not just Uther." He shook his head once. "Why?"

Gaius looked contemplative for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure," he admitted, examining the wood grain in the table. "Perhaps…..Some accounts say the barghest only appears to people to scare them, but not to harm them. Other times, it was said they appeared to those closest to those about to die as a warning….but my best guess would be that…the barghest _wanted_ to be seen."

"It wanted to be seen?" Merlin asked.

Gaius nodded. "That's the best I can tell you."

Merlin blinked once, twice, and then nodded as well. "It said the knights being there was pointless. It probably wanted to scare everyone away, and when that didn't work, it started putting them to sleep." He wondered if he should ask Gaius about the cryptic message the barghest had given him, but decided against it.

Besides, Arthur knocked on the door then, and he did _not_ sound happy.

….

….

**Next Time: The Fisher King**

_After the Barghest scare, everyone despairs as King Uther and Morgana fall gravely ill. Legend tells of a man with the power to give life. In the blink of an eye, Arthur and Merlin are off on the quest to find the Fisher King, pass his tests, and find a way to save Camelot's King, or be ready to crown a new one if they fail._

This next part was written _before_ The Eye of the Phoenix aired. Thus my Fisher King and BBC's Fisher King are two totally different characters._  
_


	7. The Fisher King

**The Fisher King**

_After the Barghest scare, everyone despairs as King Uther and Morgana fall gravely ill. Legend tells of a man with the power to give life. In the blink of an eye, Arthur and Merlin are off on the quest to find the Fisher King, pass his tests, and find a way to save Camelot's King, or be ready to crown a new one if they fail._

…

…

A/N: This is the installment that caused me the most issues. I had such a hard time writing it. I researched the Holy Grail and the Fisher King. I watched the Criminal Minds episodes about the Fisher King. I researched Percival and Galahad and Indiana Jones. I did everything I could to put off writing this installment even after I'd decided what would happen because it just wasn't flowing from me like the others did. In simplest terms: I kinda hate this part. But it's vital to the story and Arthur's development as King of Albion, so I must include it.

Vaguely based on all the crap I read about the Fisher King and some story I read ages and ages ago that had nothing to do with anything in this story but inspired the trials within. I'd tell you what story, but it's been so long that I can't even remember what it was _actually_ about, let alone what it was called.

…

…

Merlin walked into Morgana's room with his head bowed. Gwen looked up from her place by Morgana's bed side. Her hands were clasping Morgana's tightly, the worry etched into her fair face. "How is she?" Merlin asked quietly as he came to stand next to her.

Morgana looked pale, like Merlin hadn't seen since he accidentally knocked her down the stairs. Her brow was wet with sweat and she was shivering almost violently. She may be against them, but Morgana was Arthur's sister and Gwen's best friend and it pained Merlin to see her like this. Gwen shook her head.

"She mumbled something earlier, nonsense, but something…she's been quiet ever since." Gwen looked down at Morgana and tried to hold back her tears. "I think she's getting worse…."

Morgana coughed, a horrible wet sound, and turned her head to the side away from the light of the window. Merlin moved and pulled the curtains closed so Gwen wouldn't need to get up. Morgana seemed minutely more comfortable with the new darkness of the room and Merlin let his shoulders fall a bit from their tense position.

"Just let me know if there's anything I can do, anything she needs….anything you need," he assured Gwen quietly before heading for the door.

Gwen gasped just as he reached the door and called out to him. "Merlin!" He turned to face her and she gave a hesitant smile. "Arthur?"

Merlin nodded. "Sure. I'll see what I can do," he said before vanishing through the door.

It was something Merlin had noticed back when Morgana went missing for a year, and again when she'd nearly died….When Morgana was in danger, Gwen and Arthur got closer. They spent more time together, just sitting and being a comfort to each other, or talking about Morgana (though that was mostly Gwen). While Merlin was happy that they were getting closer, he also felt a pang of sorrow at not being able to help Arthur in that respect. He felt like a third wheel for a two wheel cart.

Shaking his head, Merlin made his way up to Uther's chambers. He paused only a moment outside the room before knocking once and opening the heavy wooden doors. Arthur looked up at him from his father's bed side. Gaius barely paid him any mind as he continued to examine the king's condition.

"Ah," Arthur let out. "How's Morgana?" There were bags under his eyes from where he hadn't slept. Merlin shrugged helplessly and Arthur sighed.

"Gwen asked for you, though," Merlin added quickly.

Arthur seemed to perk up momentarily at that, but there was a knock on the door and a knight walked in. He bowed. "I'm sorry to interrupt, sire," he apologized.

Arthur waved the thought away, taking a deep breath and sitting up straighter as he did so. "What is it, Percival?"

The knight, Arthur's youngest at only seventeen, stood straight and said, "There's a man here to see you, my lord."

"Me?" Arthur clarified and Percival nodded in affirmation. Arthur sighed and stood from his seat. "Take care of him while I'm away, Gaius," he ordered uselessly before Percival led him from the room.

Merlin turned to Gaius as soon as the door was shut. "There's got to be something we can do, Gaius," he said almost desperately. "I've seen what happens when Morgana is in danger of dying, and I've seen how Arthur reacts when his father isn't there….He can't lose both of them at the same time like this!"

Gaius shot Merlin a reproachful look. "Do you think I don't know that?" he asked, a tinge of bitterness in his voice. "I'm trying my best here, and so are you. If we can't do it, then perhaps this is when they are meant to die….," he trailed off uncertainly.

Merlin shook his head. "No. I don't accept that," he denounced. "The Barghest said a year. He gave Uther a year, Gaius. Besides, this doesn't feel right. Magic's involved somehow. I know it is."

"And yet none of your spells have worked," Gaius reminded him softly. Merlin deflated and Gaius sighed, pulling a cloth from a bowl of cold water and wringing it out before gently wiping Uther's face with it. "I'm sorry, Merlin…I just don't know what else to try."

Merlin watched him for several moments in despair, and then it hit him. "But I do….," he breathed out before rushing from the room, too fast for Gaius to ask what he meant.

…

…

Kilgarrah landed in the field as quietly as a dragon could. "Why do you call me this time, young warlock?"

Merlin looked up at him. "Uther and Morgana are dying and I can't heal them."

"Then perhaps it is their time to die," Kilgarrah stated mystically.

Merlin was kind of tired of him agreeing with Gaius. But he also knew the great dragon to be lying. He'd said Morgana was a great danger in a sense that she would be around for awhile. He shook his head. "No. It isn't. I can tell…I can….I can _feel_ it." Kilgarrah tilted his head a bit at that. "Magic's behind this. Magic started it and magic is blocking me out….Is there some way to save them?"

Kilgarrah regarded Merlin curiously for several long moments before he leaned forward a minute bit and nodded. "Your powers are growing, little dragonlord, and for that I grant you this knowledge. There is a man named The Fisher King who holds with him magic that can heal any ailment, be it physical, emotional, or magical," he revealed. Merlin nodded and made to leave to tell Arthur but Kilgarrah stopped him by stepping in front of him. "Wait." Merlin stopped and looked up at him again. "To gain use over the magic of the Fisher King, one must pass a series of trials. The trials are never the same twice…so be ready for anything," he warned.

Merlin nodded and, once he was sure Kilgarrah was done speaking, took off back toward the castle. He stopped in Gaius's chambers first and was surprised to find the old man actually there. "Gaius," he greeted breathlessly. "Have you ever heard of the Fisher King?"

Gaius looked up at Merlin in shock for a moment before nodding hesitantly. "Yes. He is mentioned a few times." He pointed to a book and before he could move to retrieve it, Merlin's eyes flashed gold and it floated down to the table in front of Gaius. Gaius gave Merlin a look, though not altogether a bad one, and flipped the book open to the right page. "It is said he was injured a long time ago, though it doesn't say how, and that the key to healing him lies in something called the Holy Grail….Only one man is destined to find the Grail and heal the Fisher King, and all the lands with him."

"What about the power to heal any ailment?" Merlin asked, moving closer.

Gaius nodded. "The Grail apparently has the ability to heal any wound, which is why it could heal the King I suppose," he mused to himself.

Merlin nodded. "Where is he located? I need to head there now."

"Head where?" Arthur asked as he stepped into the room. Merlin had the distinct desire to shut the book before Arthur could see it, but Gaius's hands were on the pages.

"Nowhere," he insisted.

Arthur frowned at him. "You are a terrible liar, Merlin," he stated blandly before turning his attention to Gaius. "Have you found a way to cure Morgana and my father yet?" he asked.

Merlin stood still and Gaius glanced at him before nodding. "I may have, sire," he admitted, moving Merlin aside and turning the book so Arthur could see it. "His name is The Fisher King."

…

…

And that was how, mere hours later at the first sight of day, Arthur, Merlin, and three of his knights (Percival, Breunor, and Gaheris; while Leon stayed behind to lead the others) headed out to find the mysterious Fisher King. Gaius had given Uther and Morgana three days tops before the sickness took them, but told Arthur and Merlin not to count on that. Thus, instead of moving at a leisurely pace, Arthur and company were racing northwest through the forests toward the kingdom of Caerleon.

It was late in the day, nearly sunset, when they finally stopped riding. They stopped an hour's normal ride away from the border between Camelot and Caerleon to rest their horses and bodies…and so they didn't look quite so much like some invading force to the patrols. Breunor and Arthur went hunting for something to eat, since Arthur was the greatest hunter in Camelot and Breunor was the strongest knight Arthur had. Breunor was nearly twice Arthur's build with short dark hair and steel blue eyes. While Percival and Merlin collected wood for a fire to cook the meat over, Gaheris kept watch over the horses and supplies. Gaheris was also a big guy. He was slightly larger than Arthur in build with dark blonde hair and surprisingly expressive brown eyes. Merlin had seen him interacting with the other knights and, if he were to admit it aloud, he was sort of scared of Gaheris. Gaheris was matched in intensity only by Breunor, who constantly told stories about how he could kill a lion with his bare hands….Safe to say Merlin was glad he was paired with Percival to gather wood and not either of the other two.

There was an odd quality to Percival though.

Merlin looked up from the ground, a bundle of sticks in his arms, and watched Percival for a moment. Percival moved with the grace of a feline, but he kept his shoulders hunched when he was alone (or with Merlin in this case).Percival was a knight, a man of noble blood, but what made the whole situation odd was that Merlin was several years older than Percival. It was strange to think Percival was an accomplished fighter, a knight who risked his life in battle and noble pursuits, when he was so young…

"I think we have enough wood," Merlin announced suddenly.

Percival's shoulders squared and he took up the 'perfect knight' persona before turning to face Merlin and nodding in agreement. "Probably."

"Why do you do that?" Merlin asked.

Percival frowned. "Do what?"

Merlin motioned with his free right hand to all of Percival. "That. As soon as I said anything you tensed and straightened your back and…that. Just because you're a knight doesn't mean you have to be so stiff all the time," he tried to joke.

Percival blinked at Merlin a few times before he nodded his head. "Yes it does."

Merlin shook his head. "No it doesn't. Believe me." He grinned. "Arthur's the epitome of a knight when he has to be, but most of the time he acts just like any other royal." Percival raised an eyebrow and Merlin shrugged. "Like a spoiled prat." A smile found its way onto Percival's face and Merlin smiled in return. "See, that looks much better."

Percival's smile faltered and then vanished as he frowned. He fiddled with the sticks under his left arm idly and looked off at some tree in thought. After a few moments, he sighed. "Don't tell anyone, ok?"

Merlin laughed. "Who would listen anyway, right?" he joked, but it was true.

Percival gave him a sympathetic look for a moment before he sighed again. "The truth is….I'm seventeen." Merlin raised an eyebrow. "I'm just a kid. No one will take me seriously in training. I stood up to Arthur in a minute of free combat just like all the other knights, but everyone thinks that because I'm so young, I'm weak and inexperienced. But I've been training to be a knight since I could hold a sword!" he complained, as if he'd been just waiting for someone to ask to let the floodgates open. "If I show any weakness, the rest of the knights'll just laugh at me. I'm the kid, the baby, the runt, the little brother who needs protection. I'm not their equal. I mean, even now, I'm out collecting firewood instead of hunting with Prince Arthur, because I'm nothing." He shot a startled look at Merlin. "Not to say you're nothing," he amended quickly.

Merlin shrugged as if to say 'don't worry about it, Arthur gives me that crap all the time.' "At least you're not Gaheris," he comforted. Percival raised a curious eyebrow and Merlin moved to grab another stick from the ground. "He's just sitting at camp watching the horses. And you're different from the knights back in Camelot too. Arthur didn't even consider bringing them along." He stuffed the new twig under his arm with a little difficulty, but it settled eventually. Merlin smiled at Percival. "He chose you because he trusts you….So you should trust in yourself too."

Percival didn't know what to say to that. He'd just gotten some really helpful words of wisdom from a manservant that was more often than not picked on for being an idiot….A little smile graced his lips. "Thank you, Merlin."

Merlin shrugged it off again and nodded back toward camp. "We should get these back so when Arthur gets back with the food we can cook it and eat."

Percival nodded his agreement and they headed back to the campsite without another word; though Percival kept shooting Merlin grateful glances. They made it back to camp and got the fire started well before Arthur and Breunor returned from hunting. Merlin was glad to see Percival was a bit less tense around the much larger Gaheris now than he had been. After all, if he was too busy trying to prove himself by taking on dangerous missions, he could end up getting himself killed.

Arthur returned while Merlin was deep in thought and smacked him over the head with a dead rabbit as he walked by. "If I were an enemy, you'd be dead," he said warningly to his servant as Merlin rubbed the back of his head.

"Yea, well….," Merlin tried, but couldn't come up with a suitable response that wouldn't sound like treason to the larger knights around them, so he just shut his mouth and scowled.

They cooked the four rabbits Arthur had killed and Merlin spiced it with herbs he'd brought in his pack from Gaius's stores and they were actually pretty full by the time the food was gone. Arthur took first watch, and Gaheris volunteered for second watch, then Percival, then Breunor, and finally Merlin had the early morning watch before they all moved out. That was probably for the best, since Merlin took forever getting ready anyway.

It wasn't until the other knights were asleep, while Arthur was up for first watch, that Merlin tried to talk again. Around the knights and other nobility, Merlin had to watch his tongue. When it was just him and Arthur, he could be open about what he thought.

"How long until we reach the Fisher King's castle?" he asked quietly.

Arthur turned his head to look at Merlin, laying on his sleep mat, curiously. "You're supposed to be asleep," he accused lightly.

Merlin shrugged but didn't sit up. "How long?"

Arthur looked back out at the quiet forest around them. "We'll enter Caerleon first thing tomorrow…and Whitehaven is only a few hours west, along the coast." He tossed a small fragment of twig into the brush, and it barely affected the surrounding leaves. "We've got plenty of time."

Merlin dutifully kept quiet about how he hadn't been worried about time. Instead he said, "Your father and Morgana are going to be fine, you know?" Arthur didn't say anything, but Merlin watched him lower his head a bit to look at the ground. "Everything's going to be alright, Arthur."

Arthur shrugged. "But what if it isn't?" Arthur asked quietly. His tone was just as gruff as usual, but he was trying to keep quiet so as not to wake his knights. "If either of them die…."

Merlin sat up. "You know, my mother…she's all I've got left of my family," he began conversationally. "When she got sick, and I thought she was going to die….I was so scared. I was afraid to be alone, without a family." He took a deep breath. "And my father…" He saw Arthur perk up in interest, but the prince didn't quite turn to look at him. "He died….," Merlin revealed, and that did make Arthur turn.

"How do you know?" Arthur asked. "You said you'd never met him."

Merlin shrugged again. "Gaius knew my father," he explained. "He told me…he hadn't known how to tell me about my father…but eventually he did." His sentences were slow, controlled, and he wondered how much of his hurt was bleeding through his defenses. He kept his eyes on the embers in the fire. "My father died fighting….Cenred's men killed him."

Arthur narrowed his eyes in confusion. Cenred? Why would he be killed by his own king's men? Before he could ask, Merlin wiped his eyes and looked directly at him.

"The point is, Arthur," he said, "That when I found out he was dead…even though I still had my mum, I thought I'd lost everything. It took me a few days to realize all that I still had. So…before you go through any of that, before you even begin _thinking_ about that….I wanted to let you know you won't lose everything the day your father dies." Arthur flinched. "You will still have Gaius, and Gwen, and your knights….and you'll still have me."

Arthur smiled. "Until the day you die." Merlin tilted his head with a hint of a smile and Arthur coughed. "Get some rest, Merlin."

Merlin nodded. "Goodnight, Arthur."

…

…

Whitehaven was….not white, for one. It was brown and dead as Arthur's men came upon the land. The whole place seemed to be one deserted field of dirt, with no wildlife and no crops, and no castle. The only things in the field were a few boulders of varying sizes, and a white pole made of stone. Arthur frowned, leading his men down into the dust bowl and over to the pole slowly.

The pole was perfectly smooth, carved in what appeared to be a pure white stone that none of them had ever seen before, and probably thirty feet high.

"Is this it?" Breunor asked impatiently. "It's a pole. There is no castle, no king, just a stupid white pole in the middle of a mini desert."

Arthur looked around the area, then at Merlin like he was asking for help. Merlin shrugged. Percival dismounted, walked up to the pole, placed a hand on it, and gasped. Everyone looked at him. "It's….strange….warm," he explained, looking up at the top of the pole and then down at the base. "I think we have to leave the horses here."

Breunor scoffed from where he still sat in his saddle. "We're in the middle of a desert, and you want us to leave our horses and supplies next to a pole; a most likely _magical_ pole."

Arthur stiffened at the mention of magic for a moment and then dismounted his horse and tied it to the pole without another breath of hesitation. Merlin followed suit, as did Percival, and they all looked at Breunor and Gaheris. "Tie your horses," Arthur ordered simply.

Though they looked hesitant, Arthur's two larger knights dismounted and tied their horses to the pole as well. They all blinked at the cave that suddenly appeared before them. They stared at it strangely, not sure whether to trust it, and then Arthur took a deep breath and walked right in.

"My lord!" the knights called out almost as one before following him into the darkness. Merlin was about to walk in himself when he felt a strange presence and waited a moment to look around. He saw no one in the field but himself, and after a moment he followed the rest of the traveling party into the mouth of the cave.

Once they'd moved past the main entrance to the cave and the light from outside was gone, the stones began to glow above them, the color of the clear blue sky. Merlin and Percival both were staring at them in shock when Arthur stopped walking and thus ran into Gaheris and Breunor in front of them.

"Watch it," Gaheris said, "We don't know what's in this place."

Percival nodded, his back straightening. Merlin looked around Gaheris to Arthur and saw that they'd reached a dead end…sort of. Arthur was kneeling next to a hole in the wall near the ground just large enough for Breunor, the largest of their group, to crawl through if he weren't wearing any armor. Above the hole, engraved into the wall, were words written in- "The language of the Old Religion," he gasped out, and everyone turned to him.

"You can read that?" Arthur asked, pointing at the words.

Merlin's face turned red. Oops. "Well, it's…some of Gaius's older books are written in it…so….yea….," he said. It wasn't completely a lie. Some of Gaius's books really were written in the language of the Old Religion, that just wasn't why Merlin could read it.

"What does it say then?" Arthur asked, standing up and brushing his hands off.

Merlin slid past the knights and up to the wall, his eyes scanning the words. "Lǽtan geatwe ond bordrand ond ðu sceal ástandan," he read aloud, hoping that it wasn't a spell even as he knew what it said. "It says…we have to leave our armor and weapons here before we can continue." He turned to Arthur, who looked awed that Merlin had read it so smoothly.

"Leave our armor and weapons?" Breunor asked suspiciously. "This wizard must have a trap set up on the other end of this hole."

Arthur looked at the hole contemplatively. "Magic isn't illegal in Caerleon. Besides, he's famed for his ability to _heal_ any wound, not cause them," he said logically. "And there might be a beast on the other side of this hole, and there might not be. We knew coming here that there would be challenges, tasks we had to complete to make it to the Fisher King. We should be ready for anything at this point."

"I'm with you, my lord," Percival declared, his voice strong but gentle. Merlin nodded in agreement, and Breunor and Gaheris agreed shortly.

The knights and Arthur all took off their armor and Merlin piled them all carefully against the wall of the cave so they could retrieve it later if they came back this way. Breunor and Gaheris didn't look quite so big without their armor on, but they could probably still tie Merlin up like a pretzel if he pissed them off. Arthur took a deep breath before kneeling and beginning to crawl through the hole on his stomach. Merlin let the other knights go first as a sign of respect to their station and then scurried after them. If there really was a beast on the other side of the hole, he wanted to be there to protect Arthur, consequences be damned.

On the other side of the hole was a beautiful valley. It looked like the valley of Whitehaven, except green and flourishing. There was a river running right through the center of the valley and fish jumped happily at the sky like it was a game. There were lush trees with ripe fruits scattered as far as the eye could see, and the rolling ocean waves leapt jovially onto the white sandy shore. At the edge of the valley, a doe grazed on the deep green grass without a care in the world. In the center of the valley stood a castle; smaller than Arthur's but a castle nonetheless. It was easily as big as the castle fortress where Gwen was kidnapped to before Morgana turned dark side.

"Whoa," Merlin let out quietly.

Everyone sort of just stood there gaping for several moments until Arthur noticed the position of the sun. It was nearly midday! He began making his way toward the river and his company followed him. They passed a rabbit on the way and it didn't even flinch. Were they magical creatures or did they somehow know that there was no danger to their lives?

At the river they met another issue. There was a bridge that was barely big enough to cross on, but that wasn't the problem. Arthur walked onto the bridge with no difficulty, but Breunor recoiled like he'd been punched in the face. "Ow-what?" the bigger man gasped, holding his nose.

Arthur stopped halfway across the bridge and looked back. Everyone was staring from Breunor to the bridge in confusion. "What happened?" Arthur asked.

Breunor shook his head and shrugged. "It felt like I walked head on into a solid wall." He lowered his hand and reached out with it toward the bridge. Sure enough, his hand stopped flat like he was touching a wall. "Why can't I pass?" he demanded on the air.

"Your destiny does not lie in this castle," an old voice spoke, and everyone's eyes snapped to the other side of the river. Just to the left of the bridge, an old man that looked older than the castle behind him sat fishing. "Only one may pass; the one who's path crosses mine at this time."

Percival moved forward and put his hands against the invisible barrier. "You mean we can't accompany our prince any further?" he asked of the old man.

The man nodded with a grin on his face as he caught a fish of some sort. He inspected the fish for a moment and then tossed it back into the water and continued fishing like he had all the time in the world. Arthur frowned and looked at his men.

"It looks like I go alone," he stated simply. "Wait here. I'll be back soon."

Merlin frowned too. "I'm not staying here," he disagreed, moving forward. The knights all reached out to stop him as he reached the barrier, but Merlin ducked past them and onward. He shivered and stuttered at the feeling of the magic coursing through him and nearly fell onto his face on the wood of the bridge, but he made it passed the barrier. Holding himself up on his hands and knees, Merlin shuddered and took a deep breath. He pushed himself up and stood before Arthur with a shaky smile. "See….," he sort of breathed out. "You're not leaving me behind…"

Gaheris frowned at the old man and punched the barrier. It didn't give an inch. "How come he can pass but we cannot?" he demanded angrily. "None of us want to stay here anymore than he did."

Arthur moved his shocked gaze from Merlin to the old man. The man was staring at Merlin with an odd expression, but he gave a crooked smile a moment later. "Half of a whole," he chattered to himself as he looked back to the river. "Coins. A coin. _The_ coin. I see."

"Answer me, old man!" Gaheris shouted and the fishing man looked up at him, the smile gone.

"Paths cross each other sometimes. We meet people, we walk beside them for awhile, and then our paths shift and we leave them. Paths lead us toward our ultimate destiny, and everyone we meet along that path changes us into a person fit for that destiny." He turned his attention to the two on the bridge. "Make your way into the castle, Prince Arthur, Merlin." His eyes twinkled when he said Merlin's name, and Merlin almost shivered.

The old man knew.

Arthur and Merlin turned their attention to the castle for a moment and when they looked back, the man had vanished from his spot on the riverside. Arthur nodded to his knights. "We'll be back soon," he assured them.

…

…

The castle was normal at least. Arthur and Merlin entered and closed the doors behind them. After a moment, a maid a few years older than Arthur himself entered through a door to the right and bowed before them both. She had orange red hair that barely peaked out from under her brown and white bonnet and bright blue eyes. She was pretty.

"Welcome. We've been waiting," she greeted them, a mysterious smile on her face. "Lunch will be served immediately. Please, follow me," she insisted, turning and heading off to the left and out of sight.

Arthur and Merlin exchanged equally puzzled looks before following her. They walked through the door the maid had gone through and found themselves in the dining hall of the castle. It was nothing spectacular; just a smaller version of Camelot's dining hall. The colors were different though. Instead of being accented in reds and golds, the dining hall was accented in greens and golds. The old man from the riverside was seated in the king's spot at the table and he waved them in with a simple smile.

"Welcome, guests," he greeted. "Forgive me for not standing. My legs aren't what they used to be."

That was the first time Merlin or Arthur took note of the man's legs. They were mostly covered by his clothes, but what parts they could see were discolored and disfigured. "What happened?" Merlin asked. Arthur elbowed him in the side and gave him a disapproving look.

Again the king motioned for them to take seats at the opposite end of the table. Only once they were seated and the food had been produced did he think to answer. "Long ago, I was grievously injured in the legs in battle. I was given charge over a great power, here in this castle. The key to this power lies in the question. If someone asks the right question, my legs and my lands will be healed at last, and not just within a magic covering. So there is a question that must be asked, and every visitor to my castle that passes the barriers and challenges may ask one question. If you ask well, young prince, then you will receive what you came for." He motioned to the full plates before them. "Do not feel the need to rush your question, however. Eat, enjoy the food. When you are finished, then you can ask me whatever you'd like, and I will answer."

Arthur looked down at the food on his plate: venison, bread, peas, chicken. He was hungry and the food looked delicious, but….Arthur pushed the plate away. "No. If all my men were here, then maybe, but they don't have any food so I won't have any either."

Merlin looked down at his own plate sadly. He wasn't likely to get this kind of food again, but Arthur was right. It wasn't fair to eat while the knights went hungry. The Fisher King made a contemplative noise in the back of his throat.

"Well then, young prince of Camelot….Do you have a question for me?" he asked easily, not touching his own food either.

Arthur opened his mouth to ask. The question was obvious, wasn't it? 'How do I save my father and Morgana?' He shut his mouth before it could come out. Maybe the wording was important…. 'What is causing the illness?' or 'What can I do to heal my father and Morgana?' or maybe even 'Will I save them?' or-

"When the time comes….," he began, his tone soft like when he opened up to Merlin when they were alone. "When my father dies and I become king…..," he clarified. "Will I be the king Camelot….the king Albion deserves? Will I be ready to be that king when my father is gone?"

Merlin was caught off guard by the tone Arthur used more than the question itself. Arthur was terrified of losing his father, but he also knew that someday Uther would die and he would have to take up the throne in his place. It was inevitable. It was terrifying. It was imminent, if the Barghest was to be believed. Merlin was certain that a part of Arthur knew that, and he worried for the kingdom when that day finally came.

The Fisher King stayed silent, instead motioning with his right hand to the maid standing at the edge of the room near the servant's door. She knocked lightly on the wood and it opened, revealing two other maids of equal beauty to the first. They walked to the king's side; one holding a pitcher, the other a wide brimmed goblet. The first poured liquid from the pitcher into the goblet and then the second handed the goblet to their king. Holding the goblet in his right hand, the Fisher King looked over it at Arthur down the table.

"It takes much to be a great king. It takes more to be a king fit to rule all of Albion. You're father rules with an iron fist, with little compassion in his heart. He would ruin Albion were he the king." Arthur forced himself not to take offense at that. It was probably true. "The truth is that being king has nothing to do with physical strength. It doesn't matter how powerful you are or if you have a grand destiny…" He nodded to the maid by the door and she walked over, carrying a small leather flask. "If you lack compassion, you will always fall short in the duties that await you."

The maid opened the flask and the king poured the liquid from his goblet, which Merlin suddenly noticed was rimmed in pearls, into the small pouch. He motioned for the maid to go and she walked down the table to hand the flask to Arthur while the other two maids left the room. "You have much to learn, Arthur Pendragon, and much left to do before that day comes….but you will succeed." Arthur took the flask from the maid hesitantly, confusion in his eyes, and Merlin watched it suspiciously. "Take this back with you and let those afflicted drink from it," the Fisher King explained, "and they will be healed."

Arthur and Merlin's eyes widened and they looked at the flask. What was in it? It had looked like water but….

"You should hurry," the king suggested. "You're knights worry and your family weakens." Arthur stood up, Merlin with him, and began walking toward the door they came in through. Just before he got there, "Oh, Pendragon," the Fisher King called out. Arthur stopped and turned back to him. "You may not have chosen him for yourself…..but you have done well by keeping him at your side," he said cryptically. "He has a very special destiny of his own."

Arthur looked at Merlin, who looked like he'd been punched in the gut. Deciding to ask Merlin about it later and worry about getting home for now, Arthur simply nodded to the king and left the room. Again, the Fisher King called out, but this time to Merlin.

"Emrys," he said softly, and Merlin froze. He turned a worried gaze back upon the still seated king. "Don't you have a question?" Merlin cast him a confused look and the king smiled. "Everyone gets to ask a question."

Merlin's eyebrows lifted a bit in realization and then lowered as he tried to think if there was anything he wanted to ask the all-knowing king. After a moment, he shrugged. "I don't need to ask you anything."

"Oh?" the Fisher king asked, intrigued. This had never happened before.

Merlin nodded. "I could ask about Arthur's future….but I already know he'll be a great king and rule justly and fairly. I could ask about my own future, but all I need to know is that I'll be at Arthur's side until he no longer needs or wants me. I could ask how long until Uther dies, but the barghest told me it would be within the year. I already know the answer to all the questions I could ask right now…So I don't have anything to ask you. Maybe I'll save it for next time," he suggested with a smile.

The king's smile was wide but closed lipped. "You are indeed special, Emrys," he admitted. "If you have no question for me, you can leave. But do me a favor, would you? Tell Sir Percival not to worry so much." He grinned, all toothy and crooked. "He's got a special destiny too." Merlin nodded but the king wasn't done yet. "And Emrys," he said haltingly. Merlin raised an eyebrow. "The Lady Morgana isn't the only woman you should worry about in Arthur's future…."

Merlin narrowed his eyes in question, but the Fisher king didn't elaborate. Arthur's voice called through the castle to him and Merlin raced out after Arthur, who was already at the front door and heading outside.

"What took you so long?" Arthur asked impatiently. Merlin shrugged with a good-natured smile and Arthur sighed, rolling his eyes before finally heading out to his knights once more.

…

…

Arthur raced into Uther's chambers, armor back in place, with the flask. Merlin was heading to Morgana's room with some of the water from the flask in a cup. Arthur brushed past Gaius to his father's side. Gaius looked at him curiously.

"It's from the Fisher King," Arthur stated simply and motioned to his father. "He needs to drink it. Merlin's taking care of Morgana."

Gaius nodded. "Alright then. Let's get him up." He took the flask from Arthur while Arthur propped his father up just a tad, and then Gaius poured the water into Uther's mouth and down his throat.

Almost immediately, Uther's skin regained its natural color and he stopped shaking. Within moments his eyes were opening, clear and fever free. He took in the sight of his son and physician and shook his head, sitting up all on his own. "What happened?" he asked.

"We found a cure, sire," Gaius informed him. There was no need to tell him it was most likely a magical cure, or that Arthur had consorted with a sorcerer-like king to get it. "You should be fine now."

Uther nodded almost absently. "And Morgana?"

Just then the doors to the room burst open and Merlin rushed in. Arthur gave him an exasperated look for not knocking but dropped it just about instantly when the first words from Merlin's mouth were "She's all better."

Arthur smiled. "Everyone's going to be fine."

Gaius started checking Uther's vitals even though he knew the king was fine now. Merlin stepped over next to Arthur and whispered, "You should go see her." He didn't say which 'her' and Arthur didn't ask. It didn't matter. They both needed him.

…

…

When Arthur walked in to Morgana's chambers, he saw she was sitting up and looking healthy, but also looked a bit put-off. Gwen was fiddling with some flowers on the bedside table with a huge grin on her face.

"Well, I don't know how he did it," she was saying, her tone light and happy, "but you're all better now. I'll have to thank Merlin later."

Merlin. Arthur stopped just inside the door. The Fisher King said Merlin had a great destiny. But Merlin was just a servant….what could his destiny possibly be that it was considered great by the Fisher King? He'd forgotten to ask Merlin about it when they got back to Camelot. He should ask him tonight then, after dinner. He probably wouldn't though: sometimes Arthur let things lie instead of prying and maybe finding out things he didn't want to know. Besides, Merlin might not even know himself what his destiny was. It wasn't like he had a seer to tell him his destiny like Arthur had.

Arthur cleared his throat. "Well, technically, I did the hard part," he announced proudly, forcing his mind back to the present. Gwen squeaked and faced him with a bright blush high on her cheeks and Morgana slid a smile into place on her face. "Merlin just delivered it to you."

"Arthur," Gwen breathed out, and then frowned. "I mean, sire." She inclined her head in a bow while still seated. "It's nice to see you."

Arthur nodded to Gwen awkwardly. Morgana sighed. "Really, you could cut the tension with a knife," she complained, lifting her arms. "Come here, Arthur, and let me hug you."

Arthur looked, if possible, more awkward. Hug? Morgana laughed at him under her breath and Arthur frowned, taking that as a challenge. He walked over to the bed, on the side opposite Gwen, and sat down. Leaning forward, he allowed Morgana to wrap her arms around him.

"Thank you," she whispered in his ear, sounding truly grateful and a bit shaky. Arthur wrapped his arms around her in return, holding her protectively and securely.

Gwen watched, envy curling gently around her heart. She wished she could hug Arthur like that….but she understood the difference between a sister figure hugging a prince, and a maid with a crush hugging a prince.

…

…

In her cave lair, Morgause let out a heavy breath and clutched her heart. She watched as Morgana and Arthur pulled back from each other and Arthur said something that made Morgana smile.

"Prince Arthur…," she let out, sounding a bit winded. "For once I am in your debt."

She hadn't agreed with Morgana's plan from the start. Yes, she wanted Uther dead, but the magical poisoning Morgana had chosen, while hiding the cause of death, would have meant she lost Morgana as well. Morgause would never admit it aloud to anyone, not even herself, but she had been praying they would fail to kill Uther this time.

She wasn't ready to lose her sister any more than Arthur was.

…

…

**Next Time: Tristan**

_Someone is burning cities and Arthur wants to know who. Merlin faces his fears and the future opens up to him once more. Arthur and Merlin head out to stop the fire starters, but they're faced with a problem: someone thinks they started the fires themselves! Lancelot makes an appearance. Also, Merlin may have made his last mistake, outing himself as a sorcerer. Is Tristan a new friend, or have Merlin's problems just gotten much worse?_

…

…

Translations:

Lǽtan geatwe ond bordrand ond ðu sceal ástandan = Leave behind arms and shield and you shall continue.


	8. Tristan

BEWARE! DO NOT READ THIS FIRST PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON'T WANT ANY SPOILERS ABOUT THE MERLIN SEASON 3 FINALE!

BEWARE! DO NOT READ THIS FIRST PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON'T WANT ANY SPOILERS ABOUT THE MERLIN SEASON 3 FINALE! (Twice for good measure)

Before I post this chapter I must say that I was unimpressed with the Merlin Season 3 finale. I'm not going to give much away in case some of you haven't seen it, but the point that I'm upset about is that Arthur didn't learn Merlin was a sorcerer. I did love the conversation Merlin had with Lancelot the night before the final battle and the comedy between Arthur and Merlin. I like the bit about the round table and how Merlin got Excalibur and how it was used and stuff. (I think my version is _better_ but yea) The whole episode was slower than I expected it to be.

**...**

**Tristan**

_Someone is burning cities and Arthur wants to know who. Merlin faces his fears and the future opens up to him once more. Arthur and Merlin head out to stop the fire starters, but they're faced with a problem: someone thinks they started the fires themselves! Lancelot makes an appearance. Also, Merlin may have made his last mistake, outing himself as a sorcerer. Is Tristan a new friend, or have Merlin's problems just gotten much worse?_

…

…

A/N: Because every Merlin season must have an episode that includes Lancelot.

…

…

"Enough."

Merlin looked up as Arthur shoved the documents from his table onto the floor and frowned, no, pouted. Merlin frowned too. He'd have to pick up those papers later.

"What's the matter?" he asked anyway.

Arthur leaned his chair back on two legs for a moment before setting it back on all fours and setting his hands on the table. "I returned from my encounter with the Fisher King to be immediately sent out to the neighboring kingdom of Mora for a peace-keeping meeting with the king there. Then I went to Tirtnaiur, Cendred's kingdom, to fully clear up any past grievances he had. Then, as soon as I got back, I was set to work learning more about the history of Camelot and Albion than I ever wanted to know," Arthur complained like a child, mildly waving his arms around as well. "I thought I knew a lot about being king, that I'd been trained from birth to do this, but it seems that until my father was certain of it, he'd been keeping a lot from me!"

Done with his rant, Arthur crossed his arms over his chest and looked at the fireplace. Merlin finished making the bed ready for Arthur to sleep in and then stood up. He knew what Arthur was thinking. There was a lot of pressure being suddenly thrown at him and he was feeling overwhelmed.

"Just remember what the Fisher King said," Merlin said easily, fluffing Arthur's pillows unnecessarily.

Arthur let out a breath of air, his face still turned away. "It doesn't matter how powerful you are or if you have a grand destiny. If you lack compassion, you will always fall short in the duties that await you," he recited dutifully. "You have much to learn….but you will succeed…," he finished quietly.

Merlin nodded and walked over to stand next to Arthur's table. Even with the papers he'd shoved off, the table was still littered with documents, writing utensils, a magnifying glass, and royal paraphernalia that some royal tutor had given to Arthur to study. He shook his head at it all and looked at Arthur.

"So believe in yourself," he said like it was obvious. "The greatest seer in all the lands told you you would be a great king. The mythical Fisher King told you you would succeed in being that great king. Why are you having so much trouble believing it?"

"I'm not," Arthur protested. "I mean, it's hard to argue when two of the most powerful sources of magic both tell you you're destined for greatness, but all of this-" he motioned to the desk. "There are more important things than this. Take for instance," he lifted a paper off the table, "someone or something is setting fire to the outer villages to the north. I should be taking care of that, not memorizing some stupid rules of courtship that no one's used for a decade."

Merlin laughed, moving to stoke the fire. "Well, you might want to learn those if you're going to impress Gwen."

Arthur frowned at the flames as they sparked and jumped in the hearth. "Gwen and I…" He shook his head. "It's impossible."

"Ah, but when you're king…you make the rules. And every King needs a good Queen."

"Merlin," Arthur stressed. "Shut up."

"Yes, sire," Merlin agreed with a grin.

Arthur scowled and changed the subject, looking back at his paper. "Now then. The fires are a problem. It could be Caerleon attacking us, or the people of the Northern Plains contesting my kingship." He sighed heavily, setting the paper back on his desk. "But I really have no way of knowing and the way they're attacking has no clear pattern or direction." He was just talking aloud, and would probably tell Merlin to shut up if he tried to offer his help, but talking aloud helped him think sometimes. "If I could just know where they would attack next…maybe I could get there first and catch them in the act. That would be perfect…but it's also impossible."

Merlin looked at the back of Arthur's head and frowned. "The future…," he breathed out.

…

…

"How can I help Arthur?"

"_That is a foolish question."_

Merlin glared at the wall of his room. It was night time and he was asking for help from the most magical source he knew: Kilgarrah.

"Foolish?"

In his head he heard an affirmative noise. _"You already know the answer."_

Merlin shook his head. "I never want to touch it again. I….it scares me."

"_The crystal…or the future_?" the dragon asked.

Merlin glared again. "You must know of another way to predict which city will burn next."

"_No. Unless you asked a seer you could trust, which you can't, there is no other way available to you. You do want to help Arthur, right?"_ he probed, and Merlin sighed.

"Right."

…

…

Merlin's eyes glowed golden and the metal frame of the door squeaked lightly as it swung open and granted him entrance. He stepped up to where the stone sat, but didn't touch it. He watched it. He could feel its magic calling out to him, like the first time, pulsing through his being.

Look. Look. Look into the beyond, it said. It failed to mention the consequences.

Taking a deep breath, Merlin reached out and grabbed it as fast as lightening, immediately looking into its glassy surface; beyond it. He felt power rush through him and suddenly he couldn't release the stone, couldn't look away.

Fire tore across the surface of the glass. A city on fire. He could hear the screaming of the villagers and the laughter of the men who did it. Saw their faces: gruff and unshaven with dark hair. Arthur was fighting a young man, maybe twenty years old, with light brown hair and fair skin: an angry sword fight. The familiar face of Lancelot, smiling through the ash on his face. Arthur was fighting one of the men who had laughed before at the burning of the city: desperate, angry, and quick. His own face with a frightened expression, drenched in some liquid. A hawk flew by and screeched and Merlin dropped the crystal back onto its pedestal.

He felt out of breath, like he'd run several miles without pausing. Without waiting to breathe, Merlin rushed out of the room, barely remembering to lock the door behind him in his haste.

…

…

The trees thinned out and suddenly Arthur could see a town. He took a deep breath and stopped his horse. Merlin stopped his horse at Arthur's side and Arthur turned to look at him.

"Are you sure about this, Merlin?" he asked.

Merlin nodded. "The guy said it would be this town," he repeated.

"And what makes you so sure the guy is a reliable source?" Arthur asked snappishly.

Merlin let out a breath and tossed Arthur an interesting look. "It's a bit late to turn back."

Arthur nodded, agreeing, and kicked his horse lightly so it would continue to walk.

Merlin had told Arthur last night, in a gasping rush, that a man had come to the city and nearly passed out, that Gaius had helped him, and that the man had told them where the fire starters were going to strike next. They'd rushed off in the middle of the night with barely a note or a word to anyone. So now they were just outside of a northern city of Camelot with only that man's word to go on. Arthur was doubtful but determined. Merlin knew he was right because he'd seen it.

As they entered the city, both were surprised by the music. A harp was being played somewhere. They kept their horses walking toward the nearest inn or tavern and, also, moved closer to the music. There was a man sitting in the village square just out front of the inn playing a modest looking harp beautifully. His hat lay on the ground in front of him and Merlin watched as a middle aged man dropped a small silver coin into it. The man playing nodded to him in thanks and Merlin lost his breath.

It was the young man Arthur had been fighting in the crystal! He had light brown, just a shade too dark to be dirty-blonde, hair that curled and went almost to his shoulders. His face was youthful and his eyes radiated contentment, and yet knowledge. His hands were just the kind you would expect from a minstrel or a man of noble birth who played an instrument. And yet he held himself like a warrior and had a sword tied to his belt.

"Arthur," Merlin called softly, nodding to the man and his sword.

Arthur nodded. "I see. We'll keep an eye on him. But first let's get a room and some food. And be quiet about me being the prince. I don't want to alert the culprits to our presence."

Merlin nodded, dismounting his horse at the same time Arthur did. The harper looked over at them and watched them enter the inn before turning his complete attention back to the small crowd gathered around him.

…

…

Merlin was finishing his after supper drink alone in the tavern. Arthur was meandering about town, looking for anyone suspicious…though Merlin had seen a few of the townsgirls follow him out, so he might be fending off his fan club too. Arthur had left Merlin in the tavern because "barmaids seem more your forte," as Arthur had put it. So Merlin's eyes were scanning the room and looking for the men he'd seen in the crystal. He nearly choked on his drink when he saw one of them walk in, but before he could stand up, someone had joined him at the table.

The Harper.

"Hullo," he greeted in a voice that was low and charming, but not because he meant it to be. It was a voice that just seeped into your bones and made you feel safer….From one word, Merlin was already hoping this guy wasn't in league with the fire starters.

"Uh…hello," Merlin greeted, setting his cup down and making a meager wave-like motion at the harper. His hair looked darker in the tavern light than outside in the sun, but that only made sense.

The harper put his hands on the table but kept his back straight, like Arthur during a meeting with his father. "So I saw you and your traveling companion as you came in today," he began conversationally. "This poor little town isn't much to look at….do you mind me asking what brings you out here?"

Merlin frowned, looking at the man who'd come in earlier. He was now sitting with two other men, the others Merlin had seen in his vision at a table several tables away behind the harper. One of them kept glancing over at Merlin and the harper while the other two kept laughing about something Merlin couldn't hear. Well, if this harp guy was with the arsonists, Merlin wouldn't want to give too much away….

"You alright?" the harper asked, lowering his head a bit to look at Merlin from below.

Merlin shook his head and gave a half-incredulous smile. "Wha-yea. Yea. I'm fine."

The harper frowned. "You didn't answer my question."

Merlin let his smile drop into a pensive frown. "We're….," he cleared his throat. "We're sort of….uh…"

A little pouch landed on the table with a light 'cling' noise and Merlin's eyes snapped to what he recognized as Arthur's purse. He and the harper both looked up to see Arthur standing by the table. The prince motioned to the purse of money.

"You're a marvelous harpist," he complimented with a small smile, pulling up a seat at the table, since the harper had taken his previous seat.

The harper frowned, looking between Arthur and his purse. "Thank you, sir, but what does that have to do with your purse?" he asked cautiously.

Arthur opened the pouch and took out ten gold coins. "I love music, and I believe a man who plays it as well as you do deserves to be paid for it." He grinned at the harper's stunned face. "And I get the feeling you aren't traveling alone, and might need the extra money for your companions." His tone was almost serious, his eyes almost harsh, but the smile stayed on his face.

The harper, if possible, looked more stunned. He inclined his head and shut his eyes. "Th-thank you, sir," he said graciously, pulling the coins closer to himself and turning towards the bar. "Hey! I'd like another dinner, if you please!"

Arthur and Merlin exchanged an interested look. 'If you please'? The harper grinned at them both.

"Much obliged. Thank you," he said. He let his gaze linger on Merlin a moment, as if he were trying to guess his shoe size, and then did the same to Arthur.

Arthur stared for a moment before clearing his throat and patting Merlin on the shoulder. "Well, we have a lot to do tomorrow. We'd best be off to bed." He stood with his words and Merlin quickly drained his cup and stood along with him. Arthur gave a bit of a salute to the harper. "Have a good night."

"Bye," Merlin threw out himself. The harper returned Arthur's gesture, smiling as they walked away. Once they were out of sight, he frowned and fiddled with the money Arthur had left him idly, staring holes in the wood grain of the table until the barmaid appeared with his food, and then he smiled at her.

…

…

"I'm not sure the harper is one of the fire starters," Merlin let out as they readied for bed.

"And what makes you think that?" Arthur asked, flopping unceremoniously onto the bed opposite Merlin.

Merlin shrugged. "He played harp for several hours, then came in and used his earnings to buy a drink and two meals. I think he's just a traveling minstrel."

"With a _sword_, Merlin?"

"Maybe he's paranoid," Merlin answered swiftly, sitting on his own bed. "Or he's got a child with him, and the sword is to protect the kid."

Before Arthur could comment back about the stupidity of that idea (swords were expensive, after all), someone screamed outside. They looked at each other and then both jumped up and threw on their proper clothes in a flash before running outside.

"There!" Merlin shouted, pointing to a house on the edge of town that was now engulfed in flames. Another one was lighting at that very moment and sparks from the first house hit the straw/grass roof of the house next to it, catching it on fire too. "It's spreading!"

They rushed over to the houses as everyone else ran around like chickens with their heads cut off attempting to find some way of stopping the fire. Merlin looked from fire to fire, thinking. He could stop the fire with magic but….He looked at Arthur as he started lifting dirt and throwing it on the first house. He hurried up as close to the nearest burning building as he dared and knelt down on the ground to gather dirt, like Arthur was.

"Infidel!"

Merlin narrowed his eyes in confusion and then flipped around just in time to see the sword descending on him. He gasped out, falling backwards. The sword landed in the dirt between his feet. "Ah."

Looking up at the face of his attacker, Merlin saw the harper. He looked livid! Merlin scooted backward about as successfully as a turtle on its back, and then flipped over and pushed himself up to run away. "You won't escape," the harper said lowly, picking his sword up from the dirt.

Merlin wasn't moving fast enough! He could practically feel as the harper brought his sword down on Merlin's back, and then suddenly Arthur was there, blocking the attack and throwing him back. "Merlin, where's your sword?"

"Uh..," Merlin finally managed to find his feet and fumbled, pulling the sword from its sheath quickly and standing at the ready. "Got it!"

Arthur rolled his eyes and then had to block another attack from the harper. "Why are you attacking us?" Arthur demanded, pushing the man back and slashing at his right side.

The harper dodged and came up from below. "Because. No one has the right to do what you have done," he said as he stabbed upward at Arthur's gut.

Arthur dashed backward and held his sword at the ready, prepared for the next attack to follow. The harper ran at him, sword high in an attack, and then suddenly he diverted and ran around Arthur instead. Arthur's heart rate sped up when he realized the harper was going for Merlin: the easier target.

"Merlin!"

Merlin gasped. The harper's sword came down hard from above and Merlin distinctly heard Arthur's voice yelling 'head!' in his mind. He lifted his sword, successfully blocking the attack. It was heavy, the harper pressing down on him with everything he had, but Merlin had been training with Arthur and he was much stronger. With a yell, Merlin shoved upwards and the harper took a step back, dropping the attack. Merlin, breathing heavily, smiled to himself. He'd done it!

His victory was short lived because the harper swung sideways at him and he had to quickly parry. "Left," he grunted out as they hit. The harper pulled back and came at Merlin again. "Right." He lifted his sword to block the second attack. The sword came from straight ahead. "Forward." Merlin took a step back, tripped over his own feet, and went down in the dirt again.

He fell so close to a burning house that he could feel the fire practically touch his back. He was so shocked he dropped his sword.

"Idiot!" Arthur grumbled, stepping between the harper and Merlin to knock the attack wide.

"Just die!" the harper shouted in frustration.

"Tristan! Stop!"

All three fighters stopped and turned to see a very familiar face standing just to the left of the fight. "Lancelot?" Arthur asked, stunned.

Tristan looked at Arthur, then back at Lancelot. "You know the culprits?" he spat incredulously.

Lancelot shook his head, running the last few steps to be beside them. "No. Tristan, this is Arthur and that's Merlin," he motioned to Merlin as the least trained of them stood up. "They're good. They're my friends."

Tristan looked between them twice before lowering his sword and sheathing it. "Then who started the fires?"

"Worry about that later. For now we need to put them out before the whole town goes up in flames," Lancelot reminded them all, gesturing to the now five buildings that were lit up.

"We need water," Arthur said.

"There isn't enough, just a small well in the middle of town," Tristan commented, motioning to villagers with small pails of water already dumping the minuscule amounts of liquid onto the raging fires.

"Then dirt!" Arthur said loudly before rushing off to try and help. Merlin looked at Lancelot once before running after Arthur.

There wasn't enough dirt either. The ground was only faintly covered with loose dirt and it was packed too tightly for them to shovel it out quick enough. The village was burning and nothing could stop it.

Merlin looked around himself. No one was near him. It'd be ok. Besides, Arthur now believed every good thing was 'his sorcerer' protecting him and helping him.

"Lafian lígbryne," he said, looking up at the sky.

Clouds formed, covering the sky in a layer of light gray. They grew dark and heavy and then suddenly water poured from the sky onto the village. It wasn't his most inconspicuous magic ever, but it would have to do. In a moment, everyone was thoroughly wet and a bit uncomfortable with it, but the fires were out in a flash so the villagers belayed their comfort for the miracle that had just saved their town.

"Good….áblinnan," Merlin murmured, and the rain drizzled to a stop. The clouds took a bit longer vanishing than they had appearing, but it didn't matter. He took a deep breath, held it for three seconds, and then let it out. "Whew."

"Hey! They started the fire!" someone shouted, and Merlin looked over to see a man pointing at three men rushing out of town like they themselves were aflame. You could barely see them in the dark.

Arthur, Lancelot, and Tristan all rushed passed him so Merlin quickly ran out of town after them. The men didn't even make it to the woods nearby. Arthur, Tristan, and Lancelot caught up to them before they could set a foot within the wooded safety net. Arthur tackled the middle one, the leader it seemed, and then hit the man's head against the hard ground just hard enough to knock him out. Lancelot had a short sword fight with his bandit, but won easily in about two swings of his sword and also incapacitated that man. Tristan was the interesting one.

He ran up and tackled his guy, much like Arthur had, but was quickly shoved off. Tristan rolled back and up to a standing position again and when he did, Merlin saw he had a rope in his hand with a weight on one end. Tristan spun the rope in a circle quickly and Merlin heard a slight noise, barely audible in dead silence let alone a scuffle. The man laughed outright at the weapon and pulled a sword; crude but sharp. He took one step forward. Tristan threw the weight out toward the man and then pulled it back in and suddenly the man yelled in pain and grabbed his head. Merlin saw something fly off and away, but was paying too much attention to Tristan to see what it actually was. Tristan grabbed the rope, ran at the man, and punched him in the gut before head butting him. The guy went down fast, a bit of blood dirtying the ground where he hit.

"What just happened?" Arthur asked curiously, still sitting on his victim. He nodded to Merlin, who pulled his belt off and handed it to Arthur so he could tie the leader up.

Tristan held up his arm and, a few short seconds later, a hawk landed there. Merlin gaped at it. He'd never been this close to a hawk before!

"Tristan is a hawksman," Lancelot explained. "He's very good."

"So you sword fight, play the harp, and work with hawks," Arthur said easily, coming to stand by the new guy now that he'd detained the criminal. "You're pretty good."

Tristan looked down humbly. "I do what I can. In any case, we should get these men back to town."

Arthur and Lancelot nodded in agreement and they carry-dragged the three men back to town. The villagers brought some rope and Lancelot tied the men together and to themselves. Arthur gave Merlin back his belt.

"These are the men who burned your village," Arthur began, and was immediately interrupted.

"They should be punished!" a man shouted.

Another agreed loudly. "Drag them through the streets!"

"No! Toss them in the river and let them drown!"

Merlin grimaced. He'd never heard such angry crowing before! Everyone was shouting, agreeing with someone else on how to best torture, hurt, and punish the criminals who destroyed a part of their village. In the dark of the night, with only torches and such to light the roads, the scene was ominous and foreboding: the dark side of human nature.

"No!"

Everyone stopped at Arthur's shout.

"These are the men who burned your village, and yes, they will be punished. But they will be punished in Camelot. They have burned many villages, hurt many people. They will be judged for all their crimes in Camelot by the King."

"And who are you to say so?" another man asked snidely. "They were caught in our village. We should judge them here!"

"They were caught in your village," Lancelot interceded gently, "by Arthur Pendragon and his men. He came to help you, yes, but allow him to help the others that were grieved in these past days as well."

Tristan gasped along with the rest of the village, staring at Arthur in shock. Arthur let them gawk for a moment and then he took control of the situation again. "I'll take these men to Camelot at first light. For now, does anyone have a place to hold them overnight? I'd also like to get started repairing the burnt houses."

Nobody slept that night but the criminals.

…

…

Merlin was packing the horses the next morning, making sure they had everything they had left with and nothing else: the villagers had tried to give Arthur gifts, but he'd adamantly refused and promised pain to Merlin if any of the gifts made it into his saddlebags.

"Oh no," he let out, looking around. "Where's my sword?" Arthur had given him that sword to borrow, not to lose!

"Looking for this?" a voice asked, and Merlin turned and came face to face with Tristan. "It is a fine sword," he commented as he handed it to Merlin. "You wield it well for a servant."

Merlin looked at the sword bashfully. "Arthur needed someone to let him beat them, but he also wanted a bit of a challenge…so he taught me a bit. It's taken me more than three years just to learn to block," he laughed.

Tristan 'hmm'd deep in his throat. "Yes, well, who needs a sword to shield themselves when they can summon rain with a breath of a word?" he asked offhandedly.

Merlin nodded once before blanching, dropping his sword mid-way through tying it to the horse, and staring at Tristan in shock. "W-what did you just say?"

"I was standing a few feet behind you last night when the rains suddenly came and put out the fires. I don't know much about magic, but I know quite a bit about languages. You spoke in the language of the Old Religion, of the mages, and suddenly it was raining. It didn't take much to realize you had caused it," Tristan explained.

Merlin stared, wide-eyed, at Tristan for several long moments. First Lancelot, now Tristan…He turned and thumped his head against the side of the horse, which shifted slightly at the prodding but didn't move away. "No…" His secret was just about _everywhere_ now, wasn't it?

"Don't worry," Tristan assured him. "I won't reveal your secret. I admire you."

"What?" Merlin asked, standing up and giving Tristan a curious look.

Tristan crossed his arms across his chest. "My native land is Cornwall, to the far southwest. My father is King Mark of Cornwall." Merlin took a half step back. Tristan was a prince like Arthur!

"What are you doing here, then?" he asked quietly.

Tristan looked highly uncomfortable. "I fell in love with a woman from another country, a princess of Ireland to the west," he began. "A great many things happened, but in the end…she was made my father's bride." Merlin grimaced. "I couldn't stay. I felt betrayed by everything I had known and cared about, by kings, queens, and country alike. So I ran to Camelot. I met Lancelot here." He looked behind Merlin and Merlin turned to see Lancelot and Arthur helping a man begin rebuilding his house. "He is a great man."

"He is," Merlin agreed.

"Lancelot and I both know what it is to lose the one we love to royalty," Tristan continued and Merlin turned to face him again. "He taught me that friendship, loyalty, and honor are worth fighting for, even if it all seems hopeless. He said that was something his love taught him before they were separated. And yet Lancelot is always speaking of the greatness of kings and the promise of the future of Albion. I knew he meant Camelot's Prince, the man who pulled the fated sword from the stone in the Canyon of Balin. I thought he was simply being foolish because of a seer's prophesy, but he continued on about the honor and goodness of Prince Arthur Pendragon." Tristan shrugged. "Yesterday, I realized Lancelot was telling the truth. Arthur is both a skilled warrior and a kind ruler. Today he breaks his own back to help rebuild his kingdom."

Merlin laughed. "You'd be amazed how often he's been doing that." Tristan nodded. "But…what does that have to do with you admiring _me_?" Merlin asked, confused. He picked the sword from the ground and tied it to the horse properly.

"Lancelot spoke of you."

"What?"

Tristan shrugged. "Not by name. But he spoke of a younger man of great character, someone he trusted with his life. He often spoke of a loyalty so deep and so pure, that the young man would give his life willingly, no matter what." Merlin smiled uncertainly and made to shake his head 'no', but Tristan stopped him. "You use magic in a kingdom where even to think of doing so means certain death, and you do so to serve and protect the future king of all Albion. I'd say that sort of loyalty is something quite extraordinary."

Merlin shook his head anyway. "No…it's nothing. I'm just trying to help," he insisted.

Tristan cast a glance over Merlin's shoulder to the others once more before continuing. "You've inspired me, all three of you. I ran away from my own kingdom because I couldn't handle it. I was a coward. I believe that, beyond Mark and Iseult, I felt betrayed by those of noble blood…because _I_ am of noble blood. You and Lancelot, however, despite your adversities, believe in a king so fully that I feel….stupid, selfish, for the way I've behaved." He nodded to himself. "I think I can trust Arthur to be a good and just king, a truly great king."

Merlin smiled. "Yea. He's going to be great." A laugh escaped him. "Even if he is a prat sometimes."

"Merlin!" Arthur's voice traveled over and Merlin winced, even though he knew Arthur hadn't heard him. "Are you done yet?" he whined.

"Nearly! Sire!" Merlin responded, then shrugged at Tristan and went back to packing the horses. Tristan laughed lowly at Merlin's sheepish face and moved to tend to his own horse.

"Really. It's two horses," Arthur muttered, rolling a rope into a hoop shape. Lancelot let out a laugh. "What?"

Lancelot shook his head and shrugged at the same time. "You know….I knew you would be king….but I never knew you would be _king of Albion_." He paused and then nodded his head, setting the shovel in his hands point down in the dirt and resting his hands on it. "It's an honor….to know you."

Arthur shifted. "So you heard about that."

Lancelot smiled, more at ease now. "Everyone knows about that. The most powerful seer in the _world_ foretold it. Every noble on the continent was there."

Arthur shrugged but said nothing. Lancelot shifted and turned his gaze on the villagers. Arthur would be a great king. He had a kind and noble heart, and the best manservant anyone could ask for. He deserved Gwen.

"Ahem," Lancelot cleared his throat and looked back at Arthur. He glanced at the sky a moment before saying anything. "You know….that rain," he started. "How lucky, right?" he laughed nervously.

Arthur stopped spinning rope and just stared at the ground a few feet in front of him. "Magic," he breathed out.

Lancelot stopped breathing momentarily. Oops. "What?"

"It was magic." Arthur tossed the completely coiled rope down to the side and faced Lancelot. "A lot of things can happen by accident, but not that. I'm no simpleton and I know magic when I see it," he said quietly, taking a step closer to Lancelot still poised by the shovel.

"And it if was magic?" Lancelot asked uncertainly.

Arthur shrugged, but held Lancelot's gaze. "I'm beginning to see a different side to magic these days. So much has happened and magic….well, it's a part of my _destiny_, it seems." He offered the ex-knight a little smile and Lancelot returned it.

"A great destiny indeed, sire."

A horse came up next to them then, led by Tristan. "Sire," he said with a nod of his head.

"Tristan?" Lancelot wondered aloud. "What are you…?"

Tristan pat the horse's neck. "I am inspired," he began. "I will return to Cornwall and accept my place at Mark's right hand." Arthur's eyes widened almost comically but he got his expression under control by the time Tristan turned to look at them. He stared right at Arthur. "My Lord Pendragon." He dropped the reins of his horse and knelt down in front of Arthur on one knee, propping himself up on the other. Bowing he head he said, "From this day forth, I swear my allegiance to you, Arthur Pendragon. My sword is at your command." He looked up at Arthur, who looked shocked. "Should you ever have need of me, simply send word and I will ride on bolts of lightning to be at your side, no matter when that is."

Arthur mentally shook himself and calmed his expression. He placed his hand on Tristan's left shoulder. "You would be most welcome, Prince Tristan," he said easily, like that wasn't a huge shock for him. "I look forward to the day we meet again, though hopefully it will not be for battle." He took his hand back and motioned for Tristan to stand, which he did. "When next you are in Camelot, you shall be called Sir Tristan, a strong knight of Camelot."

Merlin came over with his and Arthur's horses, looking curious but staying silent. Tristan nodded and mounted his horse. "I will come at your call, or upon your coronation," he said once he was in the saddle. "For now, I must return home. Until then," he said in farewell, nodding to all three of them in turn, eyes staying on Merlin a moment before he turned his horse around and rode away.

"He's impressive," Merlin said at length, sounding awed.

Arthur and Lancelot turned to look at him. Arthur frowned. "Impressive? _He's_ impressive?" he asked incredulously, then scoffed and got on his horse. "Let's get back to Camelot. We've got criminals to punish."

He spurred the horse on and it walked over to where the three bandits were tied, grumbling about hunger pains and being hit with rotten vegetables first thing in the morning. Merlin blinked a few times, unable to understand what just happened, and then Lancelot laughed. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing," Lancelot assured him with a shake of his head. "I heard a wizard is supposed to stand at Arthur's side. I've no doubt about which it will be." He shrugged. "Though it is causing quite a scandal," he added almost teasingly.

Merlin tugged on the stirrup on his saddle absently. "Well, Camelot is known for its hatred of magic. Now a magic user will help rule the country," he said with a shrug. "I'm not surprised that Uther isn't the only skeptic."

Lancelot nodded. "Keep an eye out. You've got Cornwall on your side now, but other countries might not be so happy about Arthur being king."

Merlin hopped into the saddle. "I'll keep both eyes out," he promised with a smile like it was a joke. He frowned and shifted nervously in the saddle. "Lancelot….About my mag-"

"Merlin! I said now!" Arthur practically whined from down the street.

"I'll say hello to Gwen for you," Merlin told him in a rush, and Lancelot frowned so Merlin frowned too. "It's alright." He gave Lancelot a reassuring smile. "Bye." Merlin lightly kicked his horse into a walk and left Lancelot standing in the road with a shovel. He turned and moved to continue building a house once Merlin and Arthur were gone.

…

…

**Next Time: Merlin**

_Merlin finds an injured bird in the forest one day and brings it home to heal. Meanwhile, the castle is plagued by a series of maladies and strange occurrences that no one can explain. The only clue is a hint of silver in the sunlight. Could Merlin's new pet have anything to do with the events in the castle? But really, how much harm could a little Merlin cause?_

…

…

Translations:

Lafian lígbryne = pour water on flames

Áblinnan = cease, desist.


	9. Merlin

Adam: Sweet. What's it like to live there? P.S. I agree about the fight.

...

...

**Merlin**

_Merlin finds an injured bird in the forest one day and brings it home to heal. Meanwhile, the castle is plagued by a series of maladies and strange occurrences that no one can explain. The only clue is a hint of silver in the sunlight. Could Merlin's new pet have anything to do with the events in the castle? But really, how much harm could a little Merlin do?_

…

…

A/N: So every Merlin season/series includes a humorous episode at some point. I decided to try my hand at this, but I'm not sure how well I did at the 'humor' part instead of simply writing another bit of the legends into an installment in this series.

This part draws references from The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White and general knowledge about falcons and other birds of prey. Reference pictures for the falcon I used are:

www .treknature. com/ gallery /Asia/ India/ photo180773. htm

en .wikipedia. org/ wiki /File :Falco_ columbarius_ NAUMANN. jpg

www .corbisimages. com/ images /67/ C6D437DE -6B8D -4F7B -A6B8 -BBF34F88EFDE/ IH167456. jpg

…

…

It was a calm day in Camelot and Merlin was out in the woods collecting herbs for Gaius. Gaius had made him promise to actually gather herbs, because Merlin had a habit of going to collect things for the old man and leaving his collections somewhere in the middle of the forest because he got distracted. Not today. It was the most peaceful of peaceful days.

The sun was shining. The day was not too cold as it was still early winter. There was a light layer of snow on the ground that made a lot of people upset because this early in the season it meant their crops might fail. Merlin didn't care though. He was wearing an extra, thick shirt to keep warm and that was all he needed. He was also happy because it was barely noon and he was almost done gathering the winter herbs Gaius wanted. He had the sage and savory and now all he needed was rosemary.

It was hard finding white flowers in the snow.

Just as Merlin spotted the rosemary, he heard the call of a bird he'd never heard before. "Ki ki ki ki ki." He looked around, but saw nothing out of the ordinary in the area around him, so he shrugged and went over to the rosemary and began to collect the best of the plant. He stuffed it into his side pack with the rest of the herbs he'd collected and stood straight with an easy sigh.

"Ki ki ki ki kiiii-"

Merlin jumped when something hit the ground a few feet away. Upon closer inspection, he found it to be a small bird: a falcon. Its right wing was bent at an odd angle and Merlin quickly looked up to see what could've hurt it. What he saw was a larger bird – a white underbelly and dark brown head and wings – diving down toward the fallen smaller bird.

Without thinking, his eyes flashed golden and the larger bird let out a loud "KEK!" as it was hit by some invisible force. It flapped its wings frantically for a few moments, steadying itself, and then flew away with an indignant sounding "Kek-kek-kek" and then silence as it vanished over the treetops.

Once the bird was gone, Merlin hurried over to the fallen bird and knelt next to it in the snow. Its chest was heaving quickly in and out, its injured wing twitching every few seconds. When Merlin leaned over to examine its wings, the bird actually opened its eyes and turned its head to watch him. It was a beautiful bird. Its body was white with flecks of burnt orange every so often, and fading to fully burnt orange by its feet, which were a bright shade of yellow like its beak and around its eyes. Which brought Merlin to the most amazing feature of the small bird. Its head was white with hints of the same burnt orange closer to the back of the neck while the crown was practically _silver_ in color, as were its wings. They actually _shimmered_ in the late morning light.

"Wow," he breathed out. "You're beautiful." The bird turned its head a bit and Merlin thought it looked bashful at the compliment. Grinning, he carefully lifted the bird from the ground and tucked it between his body and his jacket for warmth. "Don't worry. I'll fix you up."

…

…

"Gaius, do you have any bandages I could use?" Merlin asked as he entered the room.

"What?" Gaius asked, turning from his work to give Merlin a once-over. "Are you hurt?"

Merlin shook his head and awkwardly pulled the bag of herbs from his shoulder with one hand, his other still held inside his jacket. Once his right hand was free, Merlin used it and his already occupied left hand to pull the bird from its warm haven and carefully set it down on a clear space of worktable. "No. He is."

Gaius raised an eyebrow and came to examine the patient. He gently pulled the wing out and inspected the injury and then nodded. "You can brace and bind it with the scraps I have." He pulled a pack of bandages from a cupboard and handed them to Merlin. "Really, what made you bring home an injured bird?"

Merlin shrugged as he began unraveling the bandages. "It felt right," he said in explanation. "Besides…I couldn't just leave him out there in the snow."

"Well, you'd better hurry and finish bandaging your new friend. Arthur sent for you several minutes ago. I told him you were out gathering herbs, but that won't hold him off for long," Gaius warned. Merlin frowned and set all his attentions to correctly bandaging the bird's wing.

…

…

Merlin entered his bedroom that night covered in dust. Arthur had made him clean his armor, walk his dogs, muck out the stables, clean his bedroom, draw him a bath, wash his laundry, make his bed, scrub the bedroom floor, wash the windows, and clean the fireplace. The dogs, which were typically well behaved, caught sight of a wild fox that had wandered into the knights' practice field and tore off through the slush, dragging Merlin with them. And then the fireplace had pretty much exploded on him with ash from the fires Arthur had insisted Merlin start every night since it was oh so cold inside. Thus, he was covered in ash and muck.

He flopped down on his bed and sighed. Sleep pulled at him and he had almost given in to the calling darkness, without even eating the dinner Gaius was making right now, when a soft 'ki-ki' woke him up. Sitting up, Merlin looked to his bedside table and smiled at the small, ten-inch long bird sitting there, staring at him curiously. Its right wing was bandaged and Merlin was proud to say that he'd done a marvelous job. Gaius had looked it up in one of his books and said it would take about six weeks for the wing to heal properly, but the bird already looked much healthier after only a few hours.

"Hey….," he greeted softly, reaching out his hand.

The bird, a falcon, Gaius had said, based on its wing shape and beak, lowered its head slightly so Merlin could gently brush its head with his right index finger. When he pulled back it shook itself and then let out a small 'ki' when it jostled its wing.

"Careful," Merlin warned, just as soft as before. "You'll hurt your wing even more." The falcon tilted its head a bit and then lowered it submissively. "You know….it's almost like you can understand me," he commented lightly, smiling. A yawn tore across his face, coming out loud and startling the falcon into taking a step back from him. "Sorry," Merlin half-yawned, rubbing his face. "Arthur gave me a lot to do today. I won't hurt you. I promise."

"Merlin," Gaius's voice called through his closed door. "Dinner's ready."

Merlin looked at the door and then at the falcon. "I'll see if Gaius can't tell me what you eat, and I'll bring you some dinner back," he said before standing, swaying, and then walking back out of his room to eat. The door shut behind him and the falcon watched it, almost without blinking, and didn't stop until Merlin came back. He brought a dead mouse with him. The falcon 'ki'ed in appreciation and chowed down. Merlin couldn't watch.

…

…

Morning broke over Camelot with a crisp feeling to the air: a sure sign of colder weather. Merlin woke to the soft calls of the falcon at his bedside and thanked it before getting up and ready to go to work.

"I won't be back until late. Behave yourself or Gaius'll toss you out," Merlin warned jokingly on his way out the door, shutting it behind himself to keep the small falcon inside. "Morning, Gaius."

He sat down and quickly scarfed the porridge Gaius had made. Gaius was already cleaning his own bowl. "Good morning, Merlin."

"So I just warned Archi not to make a mess or you'll throw him out…," Merlin began, "but please don't actually toss him."

"Archi?" Gaius asked incredulously.

Merlin nodded. "I woke up this morning with it on my tongue. Archimedes."

Gaius frowned. "Don't get too attached, Merlin. Falcons are wild animals. It'll fly away the moment its wing is better," he warned.

Merlin frowned but nodded. "I know. But calling him 'the bird' or 'the falcon' is tiresome, and he's gonna be here six weeks. I figured it was easier to call him by name."

Gaius shrugged, accepting. "Why Archimedes, though?"

Merlin stared into his bowl. "I don't know. It just came to me." He grinned up at Gaius. "Sounds intelligent, doesn't it?"

…

…

The curtains were pulled back and Arthur groaned, rolling over and hiding his face in his pillow. Merlin grinned. "Morning, sire," he greeted cheerfully, knowing it would only annoy Arthur that he was so chipper.

Arthur groaned again, snuggling deeper into his covers. "Why are you _on time_, Merlin?" he grumbled. "Go away and come back in an hour."

Merlin snickered softly to himself and shook his head. "Sorry, can't. You've got knights to train, breakfast to eat, and customs to learn….and I don't know about most people, but I think Kings aren't expected to sleep in when they're woken up on time."

Arthur let out a huff and rolled over onto his back. "They are when their sleep schedule is set for lateness," he half-yawned before sitting up and rubbing his face. He wore a sleep shirt these days to fend off the cold of the nights after the fire went out.

Merlin was already set about arranging Arthur's breakfast on the table with his back to the prince. Arthur smirked, letting his hands fall from his face and grabbing one of his pillows tight in his hand. He hoisted it far above his head and let it fly in one swift motion. Just before it connected, there was a knock on the door and Merlin turned. The pillow caught him right in the face and he let out a shocked squawk, turning to give a mock glare to Arthur who was simply smiling childishly from the bed.

"It's Gwen," a voice from the other side of the door spoke up.

The childish smile vanished and Arthur's eyes widened. He jumped from bed and rushed to his wardrobe, grabbing some clothes and vanishing behind the changing wall. Merlin smirked at where he'd disappeared, picked up the pillow and tossed it back on the bed, before moving to answer the door. When he opened it, Gwen looked shocked to see him.

"Merlin," she practically gasped. "You're here."

He raised an eyebrow. "Where else would I be?" he asked.

Gwen shook her head, a light blush rising in her cheeks. "Oh. Nowhere. I didn't mean to imply…..ahem," she cleared her throat. "I meant to ask Arthur something."

Merlin looked beyond the door to the changing wall. It shook and Arthur let out a small 'oof'. Merlin grinned, but quickly schooled his features into nonchalance as he turned back to look at Gwen. "He's preoccupied right now." She frowned and he rushed to amend it. "But I can have him come find you later, if you'd like."

She gave a small, unsure smile and Merlin smiled in return: success. "That would be lovely. Thank you, Merlin." She made to leave but stopped halfway gone and turned back to look at him. "And you?" she asked, her voice gentle and friendly. "How are you doing?"

Merlin gave a confused frown. What? Why would she-Oh. He gave a sigh, but was smiling to lessen the attitude behind it. "Gwen, I'm fine. That was five months ago. There's not even a mark left from where the arrow hit me," he assured her.

Gwen nodded, accepting, and hurried off to attend to her duties. Merlin watched her go before shutting the door. He jumped when it revealed Arthur was standing just behind it, giving him a disapproving frown. "Ah! Arthur!" He saw the look being directed at him and frowned, his hand still clutching over his heart. "What?" he asked in confusion.

Arthur reached forward and placed his hand on Merlin's chest, directly opposite where Merlin's own hand was. "Liar," he accused quietly.

"What?" Merlin asked again, his confusion mounting.

"I've seen you're chest, Merlin," Arthur explained. "There's an inch and a half scar right here," he emphasized by pressing his hand into Merlin's chest a bit, "from that assassin's arrow."

And in Arthur's eyes Merlin could see the problem. He rolled his eyes and backed away, letting his own hand drop while moving away from Arthur's. "You're as bad as Gwen," he whined. "I'm fine. I swear. It was months ago! I'm not dead. _I_ don't fret this much when _you_ get hurt, and _I_'m the more emotional of two of us."

The hurt and worried expression died on Arthur's face, morphed into something more playful. "That's because you're a woman," he teased in a serious tone.

Merlin's jaw dropped, but then he saw the smile hiding on Arthur's lips and grinned. "Eat your breakfast, sire," he ordered. "Your fair maiden needs you."

Arthur cuffed him lightly on the head as he passed by on his way to the table and his food, scowling.

…

…

Archimedes watched the bedroom door with unwavering eyes. He heard the outer door open and shut, and then the bedroom door swung open as if by its own accord. Archie took in a deep breath and hopped from the bedside table to the floor before scurrying from the room in search of food. This was a castle. There had to be rodents, birds, and insects somewhere…right?

He'd barely left the tower where Gaius lived when he caught whiff of something else: Merlin. Lifting his head, Archie saw Merlin open a window in an upper room and let out a small 'ki.' He shifted his head back and forth, watched as people entered the castle through a door across the courtyard, and began his journey.

At the bottom of the stairs, Archi stopped. This could be a problem since he couldn't fly. It had been hard getting up the steps to come inside in the first place and that was only a few steps. This was several dozen stairs….He hung his head but perked and looked up at the sound of Merlin's name.

"I'm off to train my knights," the creamy voice of Arthur Pendragon traveled down the stairs as he and Merlin exited his room. "I need you to groom my horse and get him ready for this afternoon. I'm going riding later, and you're coming with me."

"Right," Merlin agreed. He knew Arthur only brought him because he knew Merlin would find some way to follow him anyway so it was better to make it an order he come instead to avoid complications.

"You also need to sweep the fireplace again. The amount of ash that collected last night made the air dusty and gray this morning." They were coming down the stairs now and Archie hopped to the side and out of the way. He didn't want to be stepped on. "Finish cleaning my rooms and arrange for a bath to be brought up this evening. I want to wash the sludge off after our ride." Merlin shrugged behind Arthur and rolled his eyes: Arthur would get a nice bath while Merlin had to suffice with a bucket of water and a wet cloth. "But first," Arthur stated, stopping on the last bottom steps and turning to hand his sword to Merlin. "Sharpen this and give it to me on the field. I won't need it at first, but I will need it later in the training and I want it to be sharp. One hour, got that Merlin. I need it in an hour." He gave Merlin a look and Merlin frowned, taking the sword from him.

"Right. Yea yea. I got it. One hour," he grumbled. "Contrary to your belief, I'm not an idiot, _sire_. I can even read, if you remember."

Arthur shrugged. "Whatever," he brushed it off, even though he'd been shocked when he learned that only a short while ago. He turned away and continued down the steps and out the doors. "One hour, Merlin!" he called back.

Merlin sighed at the now empty doorway, void of the man in shining armor who had been with him only a moment before, and then looked down at the sword. "Alright. I'd best get to the armory then. One hour," he repeated jokingly before hurrying off.

Archie watched him go. "Ki ki."

…

…

Merlin was just walking out to the field with Arthur's freshly sharpened destiny sword when it happened. He heard a strange noise, like thunder in the ground, and then his eyes widened as he realized what it was. He jumped out of the way with less than a moment to spare as suddenly every horse the king owned went barreling past at a gallop.

"What?" he asked, eyes wide in shock. With barely a pause, Merlin turned and ran as fast as he could to the training field while the townspeople ran out of the way of the horses. "Arthur!" he shouted as soon as he could see the prince. "Arthur!"

He ignored the looks the knights were giving him as he ran right through their ranks up to Arthur's side. Arthur let out an 'ah.' "Merlin," he greeted. "Good. You finished my sword. But you completely broke the ranks," he chastised, motioning to his knights who were in disarray after moving to let Merlin through.

Merlin huffed in several breaths before responding. "No. No," he let out. "The horses. Arthur, all the horses just ran out of town."

Arthur's eyes widened. "What? How!" he demanded angrily, thinking Merlin had done something stupid again.

Merlin shrugged, handing Arthur his sword. "I don't know!" he exclaimed indignantly. "I was just leaving the armory and coming to give that to you when they all ran past me. I didn't do it!"

Arthur let out a ragged sigh. "Alright," he addressed his knights. "New plan. Go fetch the escaped horses. We'll continue this exercise tomorrow. Now go!" he ordered.

The knights quickly sheathed their swords and ran to follow the prince's orders. Arthur grabbed Merlin by the shoulder and pushed him back toward the stables. "Let's go."

"What about the horses?" Merlin asked.

"I have more knights than horses. If they each catch one, we'll get them all back. Or we'll set a reward for the return of the King's horses, or something. It doesn't matter. We need to find out how this happened."

When they arrived at the stables, neither was prepared for the sight that met their eyes. There were fish all over the ground of a variety neither Arthur nor Merlin had ever seen, and countless birds on every structure, eating the fish.

"What on Earth-?" Arthur asked.

"They probably spooked the horses," Merlin offered helpfully. Arthur looked from the odd sight of his stables to Merlin. "But who would do this?" Arthur blinked and took a step to the left, trying to see around Merlin. Merlin glanced at him before turning, looking for whatever Arthur was looking at. "What?"

"Nothing," Arthur shook his head. "I thought I saw something silver…..but it was nothing. We need to find the person who did this…and clean the place up before the horses get back."

Merlin regarded him curiously and looked at the door and the area around it. Silver?

"Merlin," Arthur called his attention and Merlin's head shot to look at the prince. "I said clean."

Merlin nodded. "Right. Clean." He grimaced as a bird pooped on Arthur's armor.

…

…

If anything, Merlin was more tired tonight than he was last night. He told Gaius not to even bother with dinner. Merlin could barely move his arms! He literally collapsed on his bed.

"Ki?"

Merlin managed to roll over onto his back and looked to his side table. "Hey Archimedes….," he greeted in a whisper. "I am so tired….Someone put fish in the stables and chased away all the horses with a bunch of birds….and I had to clean the stables out before the horses got back…" His eyes were falling shut. "It was….so weird…."

The soft sound of snoring permeated the air and Archimedes let out a soft "Ki" before lifting his uninjured wing and hiding his head under it to sleep.

…

…

Merlin woke up on his own the next morning. He opened his eyes and was shocked to find Archimedes perched on one of the support beams in the roof above him.

"Archimedes?" he asked, still sleep ridden.

Archimedes looked down at him. "Ki ki ki." He spread his wings and glided down to land next to Merlin on the bed. Merlin's eyes were wide.

"You just…but Gaius said….You're wing's healed?" he asked in shock.

"Ki ki ki ki." Archie stepped over next to Merlin and rubbed his head against Merlin's jacket covered arm. That was when Merlin realized he'd slept in his clothes.

"Did I do that with my magic?" Merlin mused quietly, running his finger down Archie's silver colored wings.

Silver?

"Merlin!"

Merlin jumped as the door to his bedroom burst open and Arthur walked in. Archie let out a "Ki!" and vanished under the bed for safety.

"What?" Merlin asked, a bit angry Arthur had scared his friend.

Arthur stepped over to Merlin's bed and hoisted him up by the arm. "Let's go. The castle is overrun!"

Merlin frowned. "Overrun by what exactly?" he asked.

Arthur stopped pulling Merlin out the door and gave him a dead serious stare. "Badgers."

…

…

Gwen hurried through the halls with a pile of Morgana's laundry in her hands. Suddenly, a small badger scurried in front of her and she jumped. "What is….," she trailed off, staring at it.

Another badger followed the first in front of Gwen and they vanished down the adjoining hall. Then another, and another. Twelve badgers. Gwen's jaw was pretty much on the floor.

"Badgers, what?" she asked aloud.

…

…

Morgana sat down at her vanity and picked up one of her hair brushes. Just before the brush touched her hair, she stopped, eyes widening. Then she jumped and pushed her chair back from the vanity to look under the table. A badger looked back at her from where it sat on her foot and then barred its teeth and hissed at her.

"Ah!" she yelped, jumping up and rushing away from the table. "Wah!" she yelped again when another badger scurried from under her bed. "Gwen!" Two more badgers escaped from under her bed and one from under her pillow _on_ the bed.

Morgana's eyes flashed golden and the badger nearest her was sent sliding across the floor and into the wall. The rest of the badgers stopped, stared at her for a few moments, and then hissed and barred their teeth like the one under the vanity. They began advancing toward Morgana in the middle of the room at a slow but threatening pace.

Morgana took a deep breath, turned, and ran from her room.

…

…

Even as Arthur was leading Merlin through the castle, Merlin saw badgers in the halls. They didn't even seem concerned that there were people around. They were just walking down the hall like they owned the place. Arthur was steadily ignoring them in return. Gaius was already in the throne room when they arrived, with Uther and several of the council members.

"Gaius," Arthur announced himself as they entered the room. "Merlin." He motioned for Merlin to walk forward and Gaius nodded.

"I'll get right to work on it, sire," Gaius assured Uther before turning and leaving the room, Merlin hot on his heels.

"Gaius, what is going on?" Merlin asked once they were a hallway away.

"Uther believes there is some sort of magical plague upon the castle. Arthur told him about the birds and the fish in the stables yesterday and today badgers are practically running the castle. I've managed to convince him that perhaps something in the weather is affecting where the animals choose to make their homes, but now Uther wants me to contrive some way of ridding the castle of the pests," Gaius explained.

Merlin shook his head. "And what does that have to do with me?"

Gaius stopped mid-stride and turned to him. "I was hoping you could scare them away with your powers while I work out what's causing them to show up in the first place."

Merlin gaped at him. "You want me to go around the castle casting spells on every badger I find?" He flopped his arms uselessly. "I'll never find them all!"

Gaius shook his head. "No. I want you to cast a spell on them all at once." He turned around and kept walking.

It took a few moments for the shock to wear off enough for Merlin to follow. "What?" he asked incredulously. "I've never done something like that before. Gaius, I'm not even sure I can!"

"You managed to gain the power over life and death once, Merlin. Casting a spell to scare away a few badgers is not so difficult."

They had arrived back in Gaius' chambers again by now. Merlin half wondered why he'd been retrieved in the first place if they were just going to come back to where he started from. Merlin frowned and sighed heavily. "Fine. I'll see what I can do."

Just then, Gwen walked in looking nonplussed. "Gaius, there are…badgers. Everywhere." She frowned. "Morgana's room is overrun."

Merlin grinned slightly. "Then I should go to her room first," he said. And if he accidentally left a little spell behind to wake her in the middle of the night or make her hair frizz or something, well that wouldn't be his fault, now would it?

"Hm?" Gwen asked.

Merlin shrugged absently. "Gaius wants me to go de-badger the castle while he figures out what's bringing them here." He motioned to Gaius vaguely as the older man retreated to his books.

Gwen perked. "Oh. Can I help?" she requested.

Merlin felt himself deflate a little. If Gwen was there, he couldn't cast any spells. De-badgering Morgana's room, or anywhere, would be a lot more difficult without magic. Still, he could never say no to Gwen. He smiled and nodded. "Sure. I'd appreciate the help."

…

…

Well that was a fun adventure. Merlin spent most of the rest of the day in Morgana's chambers with Gwen. When they first arrived, they saw seven badgers just prowling about, and one dozing on Morgana's bed. They'd grabbed brooms on the way up and started smacking the badgers with the brooms until they left the room. Simple, yes?

Until they took on the one in the bed.

It hissed and barred its teeth at them and Merlin glared right back before using the end of the broom to prod the creature towards the other side of the bed. It kept hissing, sounding more and more upset, but moved all the same. Merlin knelt on the bed just as the badger reached the edge so that the broom would reach far enough, and heard a displeased grunt from under the covers.

"What?" he gasped, jumping back. The badger he'd been prodding shifted like it was about to curl up and sleep again, but misjudged how much bed was left and tumbled off the side and out of sight. Gwen quickly swept him out of the room before joining Merlin by the bed. "Gwen, grab that side of the covers."

Gwen did as she was told and together she and Merlin pulled the comforter down to the foot of the bed. She gasped and nearly dropped her broom. Three badgers, a mother and two babies, were snuggled up near the edge of the bed. Merlin frowned and prodded the mother with the broom while Gwen took a step back from the bed. She passed the night stand and yelped when there was a hiss from under it. Bending over, Gwen saw another badger hiding under the wooden table.

"Merlin, there's another one over here," Gwen announced, sounding a tad worried.

There was a low 'thump' and then two softer 'thump's as Merlin managed to get the badger family off the bed, but the mother was anything but happy. Merlin let his eyes glow golden as he whispered a spell that sent the three badgers running from the room to find some other hiding place. Gwen lifted her head to give Merlin a beseeching look and Merlin passed her an innocently curious look in return.

"Is there?" he asked, moving to her side of the bed. He knelt down to stare the badger in the face and caught sight of something under the bed. More badgers! "There are two more under the bed," he noted. Turning around, Merlin sighed. "And another under the vanity."

Gwen looked stunned when he stood back up. "Why are there so many?" she asked, sounding actually frightened.

Merlin shrugged. "Must be Morgana's personality." He cracked a grin and Gwen managed to return it before one of the badgers let out a low rumble and brought them back to the issue at hand. Merlin held up his broom like it was a terrible weapon and smirked at Gwen before dropping to the ground and crawling under the bed. Gwen laughed at him and moved to attack the badger under the table.

Once they'd gotten those four badgers out, which had been a sight to see had anyone walked in on them, Gwen discovered two more hiding in the curtains by the window and Merlin found one in Morgana's wardrobe. Gwen managed to get her two out rather simply, but Merlin got bit on the ankle by his. Gwen fret over it as blood started to gather and run down into Merlin's shoe.

"I'm fine," Merlin insisted, even as it began to sting. "Really. Besides, there are a lot more badgers to take care of in other parts of the castle."

Gwen shook her head. "No. You should see Gaius." She took him by the left jacket sleeve and began leading him out of the room and down the hall. They were one hallway over when Merlin hissed and stopped walking. Gwen's hand slipped off his jacket and she turned to look at him. "What?" she asked worriedly.

Merlin shook his head. "Nothing. It just stings a bit."

Gwen gave a teasing smile, like someone would give to a funny child. "And you wanted to keep going. You barely made it down the hall."

Merlin frowned. "Ha ha."

Gwen offered her shoulder and Merlin took it, though he wasn't happy about it. If Arthur saw him being supported by a girl, he'd never live it down, especially for something silly like a badger-bite. Luckily, they didn't pass anyone in the halls; no servants and no nobles. Merlin suspected they'd all run away from the badgers. Getting up the stairs to Gaius's chambers proved the most difficult part of the whole journey, but they managed it.

"Gaius," Gwen called out calmly as they entered.

Gaius looked up from where he'd been scouring a book and mixing a flower into a potion of some sort. He saw the wince on Merlin's face and frowned. "What happened?"

Merlin frowned and Gwen smiled like she was about to laugh. "I got bit by a badger," Merlin revealed grudgingly. Gwen let go of his arm and Merlin stepped over to the work table and sat on it before rolling up his pant leg to let Gaius see the wound.

Gaius almost smiled until he saw the bite. "It really got you," he commented, moving to grab some bandages and medicines of some sort. Just as he applied the cream-like medicine to the cut, Gwen cleared her throat. Merlin looked to her while Gaius kept working.

"I should get back and make sure there are no more badgers in Morgana's room," she said, as if ashamed she would be leaving him like this.

Merlin waved her off. "No problem. I'll join you later-"

"I think you should stay off this ankle for at least the rest of the day," Gaius interrupted him without looking up from where he was now wrapping Merlin's ankle.

Merlin frowned. "I'll see you later, Gwen," he amended stiffly. Gwen gave a shy smile, waved, and left the room. Gaius finished doing Merlin's ankle and rolled the pants back down and tucked them into Merlin's shoe as usual.

"Ki ki ki ki ki." The sound of flapping wings caught their attention a moment before Archie was next to Merlin. "Ki ki." Merlin held out his arm like he'd seen Tristan do and Archie landed on his forearm peacefully, rubbing his head on Merlin's cheek.

Gaius frowned. "Its wing is healed?"

Merlin laughed at Archie's behavior. "Yea. I don't know how though. I think maybe I did it by magic somehow. It wouldn't be the first time my magic did something of its own accord."

Gaius 'hmm'ed. "Let me check something," he murmured, grabbing a book from a shelf. Merlin and Archimedes watched him curiously for a few moments and then Gaius let out an "Ah ha. Found it." His eyes scanned the page and a strange grin covered his face. "Oh my," he said with a little laugh.

"What? Did you find out what's bringing the animals here?" Merlin asked, stepping over to see what Gaius had found, a slight limp in his walk. The sting was still there, but Gaius's medication was helping already.

"No," Gaius shook his head. "I looked up your new pet. It's very interesting." Merlin looked at the book and at the picture of the birds there. A larger brown one labeled 'female' and a smaller one with silver-blue colored wings labeled 'male.' "Your pet….is a Merlin."

"What?" Merlin gasped.

"Ki!" Archie agreed, looking shocked.

Gaius stifled a giggle. "A Merlin," he repeated, grinning. "They're a subspecies of falcon. The males are typically smaller than the females, like your friend here, and have black to silver-blue colored feathers. I don't think there's ever been a recorded sighting of one that looks quite like yours though. Truly silver wings."

"That's cause I'm special."

Merlin nodded. "Right. That's because Archie's WAH!" he jumped, his arm flailing and sending Archie flapping and falling to the ground. He barely righted himself in time to land without hurting himself. Merlin had to grab the table edge to keep from falling over. Gaius and Merlin stared at the small falcon with wide eyes. "Did you just hear that?" Merlin stage whispered to Gaius.

Gaius nodded. "Yes I did….I'm just not certain _how_."

Archie finished fixing his feathers and looked up at them. "Cause I'm special," he repeated like it was obvious, and both Merlin and Gaius watched the beak and tongue move to let out the sounds. Archie's voice was young, like that of a twelve year old human boy, and it was definitely speaking English….

"You…you….," Merlin tried. He cleared his throat. "How come you haven't spoken before?" he asked.

"It's hard," Archie supplied shortly. "Ki ki ki ki kiii. Falcon is easier."

"And are you the one behind the strange animals in the castle?" Gaius asked, still sounding amazed that he was speaking with a _bird_.

Archie turned and tilted his head a bit, looking shy. "Ki….I wanted to help Merlin…."

Gaius frowned while Merlin looked oddly touched. "And how were you doing that?"

Archimedes's opened his beak a few times, but closed it every time, and turned his head and fluttered his feathers like he was having trouble making the sounds come out. Merlin's eyes widened. "Groom the horses."

"What?" Gaius asked, his attention leaving the remarkable bird and turning to Merlin. Archie looked at him too, his eyes sparkling.

"Arthur told me to groom the horses so they'd be ready for us to go on a ride…and then the animals showed up in the stables and the horses got out," Merlin explained slowly. "But what do birds have to do with grooming horses? Or _fish_?"

Archimedes stepped to the left a few times and looked away from both humans watching him. "My magic is no good."

"Magic," Merlin breathed out.

Gaius frowned. "Well, your magic is bringing a lot of wild animals to Camelot that don't belong here. Can you send them away?"

Archimedes sighed a soft "ki" and gave a jerk of a nod. "Try." Merlin and Gaius watched in fascination as the warm brown eyes of the falcon lit to gold; his entire body going rigid for a moment before his eyes faded back to brown and he relaxed. "They should leave now. Ki ki ki ki."

Merlin smiled, holding his arm out for Archimedes to perch on. Archie let out a happy "Ki!" and flew up to rest there. Merlin pet him easily, thanking him for a job well done.

…

…

"Merlin, he can't stay here."

Merlin shot Gaius a look and frowned. "But he's my friend. Gaius, he's a magical being and I want to protect him."

Gaius shook his head. "Then let him go away. Camelot is not a safe place for magic. You are in danger every day for your gifts. Archimedes's magic is sporadic at best. He can barely control it. The best thing for him is to be as far from Camelot as possible."

Merlin looked forlorn. "But…," he protested weakly. "He's…Archimedes…."

"I understand."

Merlin and Gaius turned from where they'd been whispering to each other over the table where they ate. Archimedes was standing in Merlin's doorway, barely visible in the darkness of the night. They hadn't even heard the door open. Archie spread his wings, a slight glint in the moonlight, and flew over to sit on the table between them. He turned to Gaius.

"I want to be good. I want to be helpful. I am not…" He turned to Merlin, who was frowning and looking depressed. "I want to help you. Thank you for helping me." He stepped over so he could lean against Merlin's arm. "We will meet again. I promise. And I will help you then."

Merlin pet him, slow and gentle. "I look forward to that day, Archie."

Archimedes blinked at him. "Thank you for naming me too," he said happily. "I will definitely remember you."

With that, he waddled away from Merlin, spread his wings, and flapped his way to the open window high in the far wall. He gave a last look back at them both, winked, and then flew off into the night; his wings giving off a silver shine as he went.

Merlin wiped his eyes to keep himself from crying. "Why does everyone leave?" he asked, his voice quiet and somber.

Gaius placed a comforting hand on his left shoulder. "We all have our own paths, Merlin. But they'll cross again in time." There was a moment of silence, and then Gaius laughed. "A Merlin," he snickered, standing and moving to his test tubes and herbs to do who knows what until he fell asleep.

Merlin glared at his retreating back, but found himself grinning as well. Merlin and a Merlin. Destiny had some sense of humor.

"By the way," Merlin began lightly. "I hear Morgana still won't sleep in her bed for fear of the badgers."

…

…

**Next Time: Llud's Poison**

_The seer said one wizard would stand at Arthur's side. Just one. The only way to be absolutely certain you are "the one" is to get rid of the competition altogether. A mysterious illness has affected many of Camelot's citizens, and Merlin is no exception. Everyone with even a hint of magic in them is falling ill and dying with no clear reason as to why. Arthur sets forth to find a cure and save the kingdom._


	10. Llud's Poison

Thank you all so much for your reviews! I'm glad you liked Archimedes and that it was a funny chapter. Now we move on to the next chapter in Merlin and Arthur's lives:

**Llud's Poison**

_The seer said one wizard would stand at Arthur's side. Just one. The only way to be absolutely certain you are "the one" is to get rid of the competition altogether. A mysterious illness has affected many of Camelot's citizens, and Merlin is no exception. Everyone with even a hint of magic in them is falling ill and dying with no clear reason as to why. Arthur sets forth to find a cure and save the kingdom._

…

…

A/N: Based very _very_ loosely on **Lludd and Llefelys**, a Middle Welsh prose tale collected by Charlotte Guest.

…

…

"You want to be known as the most powerful sorcerer in the world, correct?" Morgause asked silkily.

The man before her nodded hastily. "Of course. Definitely."

Morgause smiled. "Then you must become Prince Arthur's sorcerer. The famous seer Tethella has foreseen that the most powerful sorcerer that will ever live will be the one the future King chooses to keep at his side."

"Then I'll do that." The man agreed. "I'll head for Camelot right away and prove myself worthy to the prince!"

He made to walk away but Morgause caught him by the upper arm, stopping him in his tracks. "Wait."

"For what?" he grumbled. "Any minute now another sorcerer could cozy up next to him and take my place!"

Morgause shook her head, her smile never slipping. "No one with magic would dare go public in Camelot right now. Uther is still king. Magic is still forbidden. You must wait for Uther to die before you make your move."

The man glared at her. "And how long is that? It could be years before that tyrant finally dies! I can't wait that long!"

"That's why I am here to help you," Morgause explained calmly. "What would be the best way to ensure that you get the position of King Arthur Pendragon's Court Sorcerer?" The man just stared blankly at her for several seconds, so Morgause reached in her hip pouch and pulled out a little two-inch-tall vial of green powder. Her smile turned wicked. "You get rid of the competition."

…

…

Merlin descended the steps into Gaius' workshop the next morning the same way he did every morning; late and not caring about it. He stopped at the table to get a drink of water, clearing his throat as he poured himself a cup. After taking a huge gulp, Merlin cleared his throat again and rubbed it with his free left hand while he set the cup down.

Gaius turned from where he was looking for a book to give him a somewhat concerned look. "Are you ill, Merlin?"

Merlin shook his head. "Nah. My throat just feels a bit off, that's all. I slept with my face in the magic book again, so it's probably just a bunch of dust," he assured his mentor. "Anyway, I'm late, so I'd best be off to fetch Arthur's breakfast."

With that, he ambled out the door. Gaius only spared him a moment's more concern before he too went about his business. The old man coughed once, softly, before pulling out the book he'd been looking for. Maybe he should dust his books….

Merlin didn't have time to fetch Arthur's breakfast. Only ten steps out of Gaius' door and Arthur was shoving him back inside and up the stairs again. "Arthur?"

"Forget breakfast, idiot," he started. "Lucky for you, I was woken early today by a messenger from my father, so I won't count this lateness against you. Is Gaius in?"

Merlin nodded just as they reached the door again. "Gaius, Arthur's here to see you," he announced upon entering.

"Ah, your highness," Gaius greeted. "What seems to be the matter?"

Arthur stood in his best princely manner with his arms crossed over his chest and his feet shoulder-width apart. "We learned early this morning that a woman collapsed in the market with an unknown illness."

"One woman?" Merlin asked, sitting on the edge of one of the table chairs. "Is the illness really serious?" Why else would Uther be worried about it?

Arthur shook his head. "So far the disease seems like a common one, except that the victims of it have fallen into a deep sleep of some sort only an hour or so after getting sick."

"_Victims_?" Gaius asked, mouth wide open. "How many are there?"

Arthur looked uncomfortable, turning to glance at the door instead of at his childhood physician. "Twelve people of varying ages have fallen ill in the main city alone. A messenger this morning informed us of at least nine other cases in the nearby villages." Gaius and Merlin both gasped in shock and horror. Arthur turned his head back to them. "Father is worried it may be contagious and wanted your opinion on what to do about it. Have you ever heard of anything like it, Gaius?"

Gaius shook his head absently, turning towards his books. "I can't say I have, sire. I'll do some research into the matter, but it'd be best if I had a subject….some infected by the disease…to examine. Can you arrange that at all?" he asked as he lifted an ancient looking tome from a stack of other ancient looking tomes and set it by itself in the center of the table before flipping it open and scanning a page.

Arthur nodded. "I'll do what I can." He walked as far as the door before turning around. "Oh, and Merlin…."

"Yes, sire?" Merlin asked.

"I'm hungry. Where's my breakfast?" he asked while he continued to walk out and down the stairs.

Merlin shook his head good-naturedly at the open air before him. "Do you see how he acts, Gaius? He's like a little child." It wasn't said to be mean, but as sort of a half-joke.

Gaius shrugged as he continued to skim pages. "It is simply his way of showing you he cares," he said by way of explanation. "However, if you don't get him breakfast soon, he may change his mind," he teased.

Merlin's eyes widened comically for about four seconds before he smiled and pushed himself out of the chair. "See ya, later, Gaius. Good luck in the research!" Just as he passed the doorway, he coughed again.

Gaius lifted his head from the book and blinked at the empty doorway once, twice, before shaking his head and returning to the research.

…

…

Merlin was shining Arthur's boots while the Prince looked over some report or history of some sort that Geoffrey had given him to study about being King someday. Pulling his right arm in front of his face, Merlin coughed into the fabric near his elbow before continuing his work. Arthur glanced over at him briefly and then returned to his homework. A moment later, Merlin did the same thing again but sneezed into his elbow this time instead of coughing.

Arthur sighed heavily and turned to look at Merlin fully. "Look, I appreciate that you're here, doing your job…but if you're just going to infect my things with who knows what peasant's disease you've contracted….," he trailed off.

Merlin glared at him. "I'm fine," he insisted stiffly. "I got a lot of dust in my face last night, that's all. I'll get over it. It's not a peasant's disease."

Arthur opened his mouth to retort when suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Enter," he called instead.

A knight opened the door and took two steps inside. "Prince Arthur, sire," he began with a bow. "Your father wishes to see you immediately, in the physician's chambers."

Sitting up straight, Arthur asked, "What for?"

"Those with the illness, sire, they're beginning to die."

Merlin dropped a boot, catching Arthur's attention. "Stay here and finish your duties, Merlin. I'll be back soon to make sure you didn't screw them up."

"Of course," Merlin agreed. At his word, Arthur and the knight both left the room, leaving Merlin alone in the silence. It only lasted a moment before Merlin fell into a fit of coughs, and then began to shiver and sweat at the same time. He wiped his sleeve across his forehead and frowned at the dampness of it all. He swayed dangerously, even though he was already sitting down. "Oh no…"

Dropping the boot and polish, Merlin hurried from the room.

…

…

"Are you certain you have no idea what this disease is, Gaius," Uther practically demanded. "Or any way of knowing how it's spreading?"

Arthur stood just to his father's right, watching as Gaius flipped through book after book while speaking with his father.

"No, sire," Gaius said apologetically. "All I can gather is that it is most likely an air borne illness." He looked to Arthur. "Did you ever get me a patient to examine?"

Arthur shook his head. "No, sorry. None of the families wanted to give up their sick once they heard people were dying. They want to spend their final moments together."

Gaius sighed, turning back to his books. "It may not be their final moments if I could simply have a look at them." He shut the book he was currently looking at and shrugged. "I guess I'll simply have to go make a visit to them myself then."

Something hit the door heavily and all three heads snapped up to see Merlin leaning against the door. "Gaius," he gasped out, taking an unsteady, shaky step into the room. He looked terrible: sweating and shaking and breathing hard. He coughed once into his fist. Then his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed halfway between the door and the three men all staring at him in shock.

Two seconds. That's how long it took Gaius to react. He called Merlin's name, hurrying over and kneeling next to the now unconscious young man. Arthur knelt on Merlin's other side while his father kept his distance.

"Help me get him onto the table," Gaius ordered. Arthur nodded and hefted Merlin up into his arms, taking the few steps necessary to reach the table, and then set him carefully down on the wooden surface there. Merlin was still breathing hard, sweating, and shaking; he was just now unconscious. Gaius looked him over once, placed his hand on Merlin's forehead and frowned. He grimly said, "Well….I asked for a patient. Hm?" He leaned down and examined Merlin's face. He hurried back to his desk to return a moment later with a little vial and a small metal stick with a flat end.

"What is it Gaius?" Uther asked, his voice showing his concern, though it wasn't for Merlin at all.

Gaius ran the metal along Merlin's cheek gently, scraping something off the skin there into the vial. He then lifted it up to the light and squinted. "A powder. It may have something to do with the disease. I'll get right on it." He moved over to his desk to begin testing the substance without another glance at the two royals in his room.

"I'll have supplies sent to the families of the infected," Arthur stated to his father. "Try to make them comfortable until either Gaius finds a cure or….," he trailed off, looking disgruntled.

Uther nodded. "Agreed." Merlin coughed dryly from the table beside Arthur. The prince looked down at him for a moment before turning and stalking from the room. Uther nodded. "Work quickly, Gaius," he said to the man who was barely paying attention to him before he too left the room.

Gaius coughed into his sleeve and then continued to work.

…

…

"Good," Arthur said. "Feel free to send someone to the castle should you need anything else."

"Thank you, your highness," the elderly woman said with a bow before taking the provisions with her into the house, where her youngest granddaughter lay dying.

Arthur sighed, looking around the city. That was the last of the families that lived in Camelot itself but his troops were still out in the surrounding villages doing the same there. His attention was caught by a scout rushing through the street. The man, skinny and tall with almost no hair to speak of, caught sight of him and diverted his path. He stopped not two feet from Arthur's person and then quickly took another step back to look up at his face.

"My lord," he began, bowing and out of breath from his run. "I've come from the eastern border." He stood up straight again. "More than two dozen villagers have fallen ill in the last day with a strange illness. I need to speak with the king!"

Arthur frowned. "I'm sorry," he said. The man looked distraught at being ignored. "The illness has spread through all of Camelot," Arthur continued, and the man looked distraught at the severity of the situation. "Our best physician is working on a cure, but as it is I….we….cannot help you. I can offer food and other provisions for the families affected, to keep them comfortable in the days to come, but that's all I can do for now."

Arthur's genuine care shone through in that moment and the messenger bowed again in servility. "Of course. Thank you, sire."

"Go to the castle and speak with the guards there. Tell them I sent you and gather whatever you need. You can even borrow a wagon," Arthur told him, motioning to the knights standing by a door just inside the main keep.

"Thank you, my lord!" the man said with a smile before rushing toward the knights, his energy restored.

…

…

Morgana stared out her bedroom window at the townspeople in the square; namely Arthur as he spoke to a messenger.

"Everything is going smoothly here?"

Morgana turned from the window to look at her sister standing in the corner. She didn't ask how Morgause had appeared there so suddenly. This was normal now. Morgana nodded.

"Yes. Over twenty people have fallen ill, just in the nearby villages." She frowned. "You'll be surprised though," she said, trailing off.

Morgause frowned as well, expecting the worst news. "What?"

Morgana turned to look out her window at a window several stories up: Merlin's bedroom window. "Merlin," she said. "It took a bit longer for him to fall, but the spell got to him just the same."

Morgause's frown twitched into a flickering grin. "Merlin…," she breathed out. "Of course. He always was a bit suspicious."

Morgana frowned deeper but said nothing more on the subject. "They'll all be dead by sundown tomorrow." She took a deep breath. "That simpleton you found is more powerful than I'd thought."

"Yes, well," Morgause began almost patronizingly. "Men will do anything for power…and glory. This one is no different."

"Why are we killing them all?" Morgana asked suddenly, giving Morgause a curious look.

Morgause tilted her head a bit. "Because every one of them has grown up in a world ruled by Uther Pendragon and his tyrannical purging of all things magical. None of them will ever be able to fully see beyond the dark nature of the Pendragon name. Only a new force, one that has not suffered by Uther's hands, can stand up and rule alongside Arthur in the new age."

Morgana nodded, looking back to the window. "That makes sense." When she looked back, Morgause was right beside her. "So neither of us are right for it, either."

Morgause's expression turned sorrowful and she lifted her right hand to run it easily through Morgana's hair. "No….We are both too scarred from his cruelty. But soon, no one will have reason to fear him ever again."

Morgana smiled.

…

…

Uther and Arthur both entered Gaius' chambers together. "You found something?" Uther asked impatiently.

Gaius nodded. Merlin let out a heaving breath from his spot on the table under every blanket Gaius owned. The elderly man did his best to ignore how Merlin's condition was worsening.

"The powder is a form of poison," he began, motioning to a book laid open before him on the table. "It's called _Llud's Poison_. An ancient Kingdom was threatened by three terrible plagues. The first was the appearance of creatures called the Coraniaid. The king at that time, Llud, asked his brother who lived across the sea how to rid his kingdom of the plague. The answer he received was in the form of a poison; a poison which would kill the Coraniaid but would not harm anyone or anything besides." He stopped there to catch his breath for a few moments.

"And you believe what is causing all these people to fall ill is Llud's Poison?" Uther asked. Gaius nodded.

"A form of it, sire," he expanded.

"Then, what was the target?" Arthur asked. "There aren't any Coraniaids in Camelot, so what is the poison attacking?"

Gaius shrugged hopelessly. "I don't know. I suspect the poison was altered using magic. Perhaps the maker of this particular poison didn't have a set target, or wants to kill the poor, or simply….messed up," he tried to explain. He had a different idea in his mind: that the poison was killing those with magic. Many of the victims had come to him in the past with 'symptoms' that Gaius had recognized as latent magic that they never pursued.

Uther narrowed his eyes. "Once again magic threatens my kingdom," he practically breathed out. Merlin let out a wheeze from the other side of the room. Blinking once, forcefully, Uther focused back on Gaius. "Is there a cure?"

Gaius nodded and ran his finger along a page in the book before him. "It says here that an antidote can be made from the same bug used to make the original poison," he recited dutifully. "The bugs are common all over Camelot, apparently the King began breeding them after the Coraniaid were gone out of fear for their return. The antidote is relatively simple to produce. If you can get me the insects before sundown, I can have it made by tomorrow morning."

"Where would be the easiest place to gather the most of these….insects," Arthur asked, moving to see what they looked like in the illustration.

Gaius coughed, checked his book, then a map. "Just north of the city, in the Dackling Woods."

Arthur was out the door before his father could open his mouth to protest. Uther stared, baffled, at the slowly shutting door. "He's far too reckless to be King."

Gaius let out a breath. "He will make a fine King. He has a heart that can sympathize with the people."

"Well, that's not enough to rule a country by," Uther disagreed. "He'll be overrun by those who want power the moment the crown touches his head, and he won't know what to do."

Gaius knew what Uther meant even when he didn't say it. "No sorcerer will harm him, sire."

Uther turned an accusing stare in the physician's direction. "He cares too much about them."

"For the record, sire," Gaius began gently before motioning to Merlin on the table with his right hand. "He would do the same for Arthur."

Uther opened his mouth, a look of outrage on his face, but then Gwen burst through the door and he shut his lips tighter than the lock on his coffers.

"Gaius, I heard Merlin had the disease," Gwen nearly shouted. "Oh," she let out upon seeing the King there. She gave a quick curtsy. "My lord." Turning her attention to Gaius, she said, "Is Merlin going to be alright?"

Gaius nodded amiably. "Arthur is already on his way to gather the supplies I need for an antidote." Gwen looked over at Merlin worriedly and Gaius took that time to send Uther a pointed look. Uther looked taken aback by the action but simply stalked from the room without a word either way.

He'd lost Gaius somewhere along the way; his best friend and long time confidant. There were times he wished him back.

…

…

"We have a problem," Morgana said as she entered the secret place in the woods where she met with Morgause. Morgause turned to her but didn't ask anything. Morgana answered anyway. "Arthur is preparing to leave the city to gather ingredients for Gaius…for a cure to the poison."

Morgause frowned. "Then we shall have to stop him, shan't we?" She turned to look off into the distance somewhere to her right. "We'll send Tanis. The fool has served his purpose anyhow. Let him die like the others."

…

…

Arthur raced out of Camelot as fast as his horse would take him and headed north. He'd told his knights to take care of the sick while he was away and wouldn't let them say no. His people needed them more than he did. He was just catching a few measly bugs, his people were dying. His manservant was dying.

He rode full out nonstop until just before the Dackling Woods. Then, noticing his horse was getting tired, Arthur dismounted and instead led the horse on foot. The trees here were taller than in the rest of the forest around the city, but thinner too. He could hear the sound of the buzzing insects hidden by the trees and the underbrush and slowed his pace. He was the greatest hunter in the world. He could catch a few bugs.

A twig snapped to his left and Arthur stopped walking altogether to turn and face the new threat. A moment passed in complete silence and then a man walked from behind a tree. He wore a black cloak, like the druids did or like he had when hiding himself, but the hood was down to reveal his unshaven face. His hair was a light shade of brown except for his beard, which was darker. From what he could see of the clothes under the cloak, they were too big for the man, too baggy.

"My lord," the man gasped joyfully. "What an honor to meet you!"

Arthur narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Who are you?"

The man bowed overly low with a lot of flourish. "My name is Tanis. I wouldn't admit it before anyone other than yourself, my liege, but to you I cannot lie." He smiled up at Arthur. "I am a sorcerer, a practitioner of magic." Arthur tensed but the man didn't seem to notice as he stood upright. "I've come here to beseech you, lord…." He put his hands together as if praying to Arthur. "Please allow me to be your sorcerer when you are king."

Arthur stared at Tanis for several long moments, as if testing to see if he was about to claim this as a joke. When no comment was forthcoming from Tanis, Arthur decided to take up the challenge. "Um…Thank you…Tanis….For your enthusiasm, but I cannot accept.'

Tanis's smile dropped immediately. He looked hysterical. "What? Why?" It was almost a whine and Arthur had to force himself not to wince. "The seer Tethella said you needed a sorcerer at your side!"

Arthur gave a neutral expression, but one that hopefully held a bit of regret. He did feel sorry. Tanis seemed like a nice enough man, after all. "_Tethella_," he began, using the seer's name for the first time, "said my greatest asset would be the wizard who would stand beside me. She said I would know him when he showed himself. So, I'm sorry, Tanis…but it isn't you."

"But….you won't find another one," Tanis began in a low, jittery, and yet dangerous voice. "They'll all be gone. The poison-"

Arthur eyes hardened. "The poison?" he interrupted and Tanis was shocked into silence by the ice in Arthur's voice. "_You_ unleashed the poison on Camelot?"

Tanis nodded hesitantly and Arthur drew his sword. "What are you doing?"

"You spread a disease across my kingdom, killing innocent men, women, and children. _What were you trying to prove_?" he demanded, though they both knew he didn't want an answer. "You are not my sorcerer. You are an enemy to my kingdom and its people."

Tanis just stared at Arthur for a bit, and then his eyes narrowed. "I did all this for you," he murmured. "You should have only the best at your side….I am the best."

…

…

"Arthur."

Gaius looked over at his bed, where he and Gwen had moved Merlin so he could be more comfortable. Was he conscious? He walked over to where Merlin was and gently placed a hand on Merlin's forehead. It was burning hot. The poison was taking affect in Gaius too, reaching for his old and withered magic. He was beginning to sweat from his own fever so Merlin was probably hotter than even Gaius could tell right now.

"Merlin?"

…

…

Arthur braced himself for the attack he knew was coming. Tanis couldn't be his sorcerer, so he was going to kill Arthur to ensure that no one else could either. Arthur wasn't sure how he would block a magical attack, since Tanis obviously couldn't take him physically, but he would try. He had people to save all across the country. He needed to save them. What kind of king would he be without his people? Realization filled Arthur's being and he finally understood the Fisher King's words.

"It doesn't matter how powerful you are," Arthur told Tanis. "If you lack compassion, you will always fall short."

Tanis frowned deeper and said a spell so fast and so soft that Arthur almost didn't catch it. Then suddenly the wind picked up and Arthur swore he saw blades. They came at him and he lifted his sword to block. It felt like metal against metal, a sword against a sword. Arthur pushed back, throwing the air back and away like he would another sword. Tanis held up his hands and tilted them in opposite directions. The air blades swung wide, coming at Arthur from both sides at once.

Arthur turned halfway to the right, prepared to block that side and then attempt the other while knowing he would probably fail. Suddenly there was a spark of blue light, the air struck it instead of Arthur, and then the air fell still around them.

"What?" Tanis gasped out loudly. He said swung his arms again, wildly, and several blades of air flew at Arthur simultaneously. Arthur had barely lifted his sword when the light flashed again, terminating the attack before it could land. "Who-," he cut himself off.

Arthur smirked and pointed his sword at Tanis. "That is my sorcerer…I think," he muttered the last bit to himself.

Tanis didn't move. In fact, he barely breathed. Prince Arthur's sorcerer was powerful. The other magic user wasn't anywhere near them and yet he'd negated Tanis's spell with ease. He wasn't the best. He wasn't Arthur's sorcerer.

Arthur continued louder, "I should take you back to Camelot and have you killed. You used your magic to poison my people. However…." Tanis jumped at the however. "If you help me gather the insects to make the antidote….I'll let you live. And you have to promise never to do this sort of thing ever again."

Tanis blinked at him for several minutes, and then nodded. "Yes….of course, sire….Whatever you want." He wasn't sure who he was more frightened of: Arthur and his father, or Arthur and his wizard. He was sure, however, that Arthur was far more merciful than he'd been told.

"Good," Arthur nodded shortly, lowering his sword. "Now hurry. I don't have much time."

…

…

At dawn the next morning, riders went out in every direction from the city of Camelot, delivering the antidote to the Llud's Poison to every village. By the following evening, all those who had been sick were as good as new….well….nine people were known to be dead from the poison, but the majority of those affected were saved in time.

Arthur walked into Gaius's chambers and saw Merlin sitting with a cover wrapped around his shoulders and stopped. This was eerily similar to the last time Merlin was poisoned….

"Arthur."

Arthur practically jumped out of his skin turning to see who said his name. Gwen was behind him with flowers in what was obviously one of Morgana's vases. "Guinevere," he managed quietly.

"Are you here to see Merlin?" she asked conversationally, tilting her head a bit to the left.

Arthur scoffed. "No," he answered immediately. She gave him a look and he wilted. "Well…yes. I am."

Gwen smiled sweetly at him. "Then how about we go see him together?" Without really waiting for an answer, Gwen gently swept passed him and into Gaius' chambers. "Afternoon," she greeted easily.

Arthur followed her haltingly. "Afternoon," he repeated.

"Ah," Merlin flipped around and smiled at them both. "Hey!"

"I know it's not really your thing," Gwen was saying. "But Morgana and I thought maybe some flowers would brighten things up after all that's happened," she explained. "I picked them myself fresh this morning."

"Thanks, Gwen," Merlin said softly. Arthur shifted on his feet quietly and Merlin's eyes flicked to him. "How's Morgana doing?"

Gwen shrugged, fiddling with the arrangement of the flowers in the vase. "Better than usual. She didn't personally see any of those affected, and I think that helps. She cares about people," she finished softly.

There was silence for a few moments and then Merlin spoke up again. "Maybe you should go check on her."

"Yea," Gwen accepted almost immediately. "Yea, I should." She took two steps toward the door, stopped, and turned around to look at Merlin. "I'll come back, alright? Later." Merlin nodded and she turned to the door again. She made it to the door itself before she turned back again. "Have a nice afternoon, sire," she said in farewell to Arthur, with a blush, before hurrying out the door and down the hall.

Gaius looked between the door and the two men in the room for a moment, and then took a deep breath. "I'm going to check that the infected in town have all been given enough medicine. Merlin," he said sternly. "Don't do anything strenuous. You don't have your strength back yet," he ordered.

"Of course, Gaius," Merlin agreed easily with a nod. Gaius gave him a look just for the sake of doing it and then gathered his things and left the prince and his manservant alone in the room. Merlin cleared his throat. "So…"

Arthur looked wholly uncomfortable in the situation. "So the poison was caused by a sorcerer who wanted to fill the spot in the prophecy…of the wizard who stands beside me," he said for nothing better to do.

Merlin blinked at him a few times, processing. "Oh…Why would someone trying to get on your good side…poison your people?" he asked slowly. Did Arthur suspect him?

Arthur shrugged. "I have no idea. I also don't know how he picked his targets. Random people in different villages fell ill, people who had never met before."

Closing his eyes for a moment, Merlin shrugged. He opened his eyes again after a second. "What did you do to him?"

Arthur seemed shocked at the question, and the simplistic way it was asked. "I let him go." Merlin's eyes widened and Arthur drew himself up in a princely manner, as if defending himself from a silent invisible attack. "He couldn't hurt me, and he was…somehow…trying to help me….I think. He said he was the one for the job because he was the most powerful wizard out there." Arthur's tone turned nostalgic. "I told him that power wasn't enough. You need compassion, kindness, to rule properly."

Merlin smiled. It seemed Arthur had finally realized what the Fisher King had told him to be true. "That's why you'll make a great king," Merlin assured him. Arthur's eyes snapped up from the floor to look at Merlin. "You're the kindest man I know." Arthur raised an eyebrow and Merlin shrugged. "Well, apart from when you're a dollop head," he ended in a joking manner.

Arthur laughed. "And you're actually kind of helpful, regardless of the fact that you're the worst manservant I've ever had," he teased in kind. They grinned in similar good humor for about four seconds, and then Arthur cleared his throat and looked away. "I have duties to attend to," he deflected, then pointed a finger at Merlin almost menacingly. "And you'll have plenty to do yourself once you get back to work. So get some rest. It'll keep until you get to it."

Merlin just grinned at Arthur's back as the prince left Gaius's chambers, shutting the door behind him. "What a Once and Future King," he laughed out.

…

…

**Next Time:**

_Morgause and Morgana know Merlin's secret. Morgana uses her powers to capture Arthur and Merlin and send them to a magical realm of her own making: The Vale of No Return. While trapped there, Arthur and Merlin uncover the secrets that began it all, and what might be the end of everything. Can they escape the Vale, and will it be in time to stop Morgause? And what will Arthur say when he discovers Merlin's dark secret?_


	11. Val Sans Retour

**MERRY CHRISTMAS!** My gift to you is this next chapter and all my adoration. You've all been great this whole story. Thank you for all the wonderful feedback! I love you guys!

...

...

**Val Sans Retour**

_Morgause and Morgana know Merlin's secret. Morgana uses her powers to capture Arthur and Merlin and send them to a magical realm of her own making: The Vale of No Return. While trapped there, Arthur and Merlin uncover the secrets that began it all, and what might be the end of everything. Can they escape the Vale, and will it be in time to stop Morgause? And what will Arthur say when he discovers Merlin's dark secret?_

…

…

"Merlin's powers pose a problem," Morgause said as she walked through the forest in a slow, calm sway.

Morgana was at her side, watching the trees as they moved onward. "I never would have suspected him," she admitted softly. "He always seemed like such a fool…"

Morgause pursed her lips for a moment before frowning and stopping their walk. Morgana turned to look at her curiously. "I have a new plan, one to rid us of Uther Pendragon once and for all. We have tried many times in the past and I believe the only reason for our failure was Merlin and his magic. Morgana….," she said almost lovingly, caressing her sister's face. "You must find a way to keep Merlin out of the way until Uther is dead."

Morgana nodded, but frowned. "I'll have to capture Arthur then, too. Merlin almost never leaves his side these days."

"Do what you must….or Uther will likely live forever."

…

…

Arthur stalked through the underbrush of the forest, sneaking along, following the trail of a mighty buck. He paused, spotting his prey two hundred feet away, grazing without a care in the world. He lifted his crossbow, took aim, and fired.

"Arthur?"

The buck was startled and moved. The arrow missed its target, instead imbedding itself in the deer's hindquarters as it ran off. Arthur growled and turned to look behind him, where Merlin's voice had come from. It took several seconds, but then Merin's head popped out from behind a tree and he stumbled over to where Arthur stood. Around his shoulders were the five rabbits, two hawks, and two fox that Arthur had already managed to kill. He looked exhausted.

"Arthur…," he gasped out, slipping but not falling in the leaves on the ground. "I thought I'd lost you."

Arthur's frown deepened. "And I just lost my buck, Merlin," he complained.

Merlin frowned, eyes scrunched in confusion, and looked around the area in search of the elusive deer. "That buck?" he asked, pointing.

Arthur turned back around and stopped. There. Standing a little over three hundred feet away, was the most amazing buck Arthur had ever seen. It was tall and built and meaty, with large horns protruding a great distance from its head.

"Be quiet, Merlin," Arthur ordered in a whisper. "I swear if you scare it away….you'll wish you were never born."

Merlin went still as a statue as Arthur slunk forward toward the creature, his crossbow at the ready. Arthur stopped, lifted his crossbow, took aim…..The buck's ears pricked, it turned its head, and bounded off further into the forest. Arthur growled and turned to Merlin with a heavy glare.

"It wasn't me," Merlin whispered loudly, raising his hands in surrender. "I didn't move."

Arthur shook his head, waved for Merlin to follow, and took chase after the deer. Merlin was surprisingly quiet behind him, managing to follow Arthur's footsteps precisely enough that he didn't hit too many bushes or fall in any holes. The only real difference was his feet hit the ground harder and the kills around his neck ran into the bushes sometimes. They ran in the direction the deer had gone, Arthur keeping track of the marks on the ground that said they were going the right direction. Typically he would give up on a deer that got away, but this one was perfect and he had to have it.

He stopped suddenly and Merlin ran smack dab into him, bouncing back with an 'oof' and holding his nose where it had collided with Arthur. Arthur held out a hand to keep Merlin quiet and then pointed. The buck was standing by a tree, its head turned toward them, staring with wide eyes. Arthur's hand tightened on his crossbow and the buck bolted around the tree and out of sight.

"No," Arthur cursed under his breath before he hurried quietly to the tree and around it after the deer. Merlin didn't move, afraid he'd be too loud.

After several long moments of silence, Merlin crept forward toward the tree. Two steps forward and he tripped, falling into the bushes loudly with a yelp. He jumped up as fast as he could but his apologies died in his throat when he realized Arthur wasn't yelling at him. Narrowing his eyes, Merlin finished his walk up to the large tree where Arthur had vanished and looked around it. His eyebrows came together in confusion. Where'd he go? The buck, Arthur, they were both gone. Endless forest spread out before him, but Merlin didn't see a single sign of life other than the trees.

"Arthur?" he called out softly, stepping around the tree. Two steps in and suddenly Merlin felt a tingle through his whole body and rubbed his arms to get rid of it. "Arthur?" he called louder.

"Merlin?" Arthur's voice responded from behind him.

Merlin flipped around but saw nothing but open forest behind him. "Arthur?" he asked, stepping back the way he'd come. He felt the tingle again and then suddenly he was standing in a completely different set of forest with Arthur standing not a foot in front of him. "Ah!"

Merlin jumped back from Arthur and Arthur vanished, leaving Merlin back where he'd started. He narrowed his eyes at the air in front of him. Taking a step to the left, Merlin moved forward. He appeared just to Arthur's right and then stumbled forward from whatever it was that was causing this.

"What's going on?" Merlin asked shakily.

Arthur shook his head. "I was hoping you had an idea. I was chasing the deer and then suddenly it was gone and here we are," he motioned to the forest around him uselessly.

Looking around, Merlin found he didn't recognize anything around them. "I don't think this is the same forest, Arthur."

"Really?" Arthur asked sarcastically. "Look, we'll go back the way we came and figure out what happened. Come on." He grabbed Merlin by the upper left arm and pulled him forward. This time, Merlin saw Arthur vanish a moment before he went through whatever it was himself. "Alright. This looks right."

Merlin looked around. "Actually…the trees over there are wrong," he said, motioning around the other side of the tree next to them. Arthur gave him a disbelieving look. "I fell earlier, and those aren't the trees I fell into," Merlin explained, cheeks pink in embarrassment.

Arthur let out a breath. "So you're clumsiness is useful." He looked around them. "If this isn't the forest near Camelot, then where are we and how did we get here?" Without waiting for an answer, Arthur began walking.

"W-where are you going?" Merlin asked, jumping to catch up.

"We're getting out of here," Arthur announced boldly. "Just standing there won't get us anywhere, so we're going to keep walking until we find something."

Merlin frowned but didn't say anything. He readjusted the dead animals across his shoulders and kept walking at Arthur's side.

…

…

"The Vale of No Return," Morgause half-hummed. "Good choice, sister. Now, hold them until I return…Uther's life is in our hands now."

She turned and walked away from the seeing crystals. The image in the bowl was of Morgana, laying in bed as if in sleep. Through the bowl could be seen a faint glow of blue all around her body.

…

…

The trees ended and all at once a great, beautiful valley spread out before them. Green grass stretched as far as the eye could see with wildflowers interspersed throughout. A sparkling river ran through the middle, disappearing in the trees on one side of the valley, where Arthur and Merlin had come from, and into the mountains on the horizon.

"Whoa," Merlin breathed out. "Amazing."

"Don't be stupid, Merlin," Arthur said moments later, shaking himself. "It's just a river." With that, he began to walk down the slight hill to the riverside. "We need to find out where we are."

"But what if whoever sent us here is still around," Merlin called out without following. "Shouldn't we stay in the trees where there's some cover?"

"It's a giant field, Merlin," Arthur called back. "I know of no weapon that can fire that far away that's smaller than a large catapult….and we'd see that attack a mile away."

Merlin looked around the area once before rushing to catch up, Arthur was halfway to the river now. Once they'd arrived, Arthur dropped down next to the flowing water and inspected it. He seemed to deem it safe because in the next moments, he was splashing his face with it and taking a drink.

"Are you sure you should be doing that?" Merlin asked as he set the hunting gear and prizes down on the ground just behind where Arthur sat, before seating himself next to Arthur at the riverside. "I mean….what if there's a spell on the water?"

"There's a spell on this whole place, Merlin," Arthur rationalized. "I don't think drinking the water is going to be a problem."

Merlin sat quietly for several long moments, and Arthur watched the water flow by, following it with his eyes until it went beyond his line of sight. Maybe if they followed the river they would find some way out?

"Arthur?"

"Hm?" Arthur asked, turning his head from the view of the mountains to look at Merlin curiously. The dismal expression on Merlin's face took him by surprise. "What?"

"This…thing….the magic that brought us here….," he began jerkily, unsure of how to phrase this best. "This….It isn't going to change how you feel about magic….is it?" His voice was quiet and Arthur did his best to ignore why that might be.

Instead, he turned to look at the water as it rushed gently over the rocks of the river bed and left trails in the dirt. He shrugged. "I hadn't really thought about it, truly," he admitted. "Ever since the seer Tethella told me a sorcerer would one day stand by my side, I've begun noticing the magic around me. And not just the beasts and the evil sorcerers trying to destroy the kingdom. I've noticed other things, like the rain that put out the fires in the northern cities, and the Fisher King. The magic that put out those fires was not evil, and the Fisher King was just a weird old man. And I realized…that magic has been around me for a long time now." Merlin looked at him with shock in his eyes and Arthur shrugged again. "Nothing big; just the random coincidences that help me out in a tough spot…like all those huge tree branches," he half-breathed, like he felt stupid for not thinking it weird before.

Merlin snorted and then covered his mouth and nose with his hands. Arthur shot him a look for the laugh but quickly dropped it and let out a little sigh.

"So no," he stated simply. "This isn't really going to affect how I feel about magic." He gave Merlin a contemplative look. "I'm still conflicted though. All of my life, I've been taught magic is evil, but I'm realizing that magic was sometimes the only reason why I'm alive today. So I'm leaning more toward magic being neutral, rather than good or evil."

Merlin smiled. "I'd say that's a pretty good standpoint," he agreed. "Magic doesn't necessarily make the person evil. It's the person who chooses how to use the magic….just like a man with a sword."

Arthur turned his head to nod to Merlin in agreement, but his eyes landed on something behind Merlin and widened. He stood up, his mouth dropping open. "Morgana?" Arthur let out in shock as his sister walked closer to them. He took a step forward but Merlin stood up quickly and shot out a hand to stop him. "Merlin, what-?"

Merlin shook his head. "Don't." Dont't go near her. Don't trust her. Just don't.

"Merlin, what are you talking about? Let go of me," Arthur demanded almost gently. He turned to Morgana with a relieved look as she got closer. "You have no idea how good it is to see a familiar face, Morgana. How did you wind up here?"

Morgana gave an innocent smile. "I just woke up here." Her expression turned confused and worried. "I went to sleep last night and now I'm here. Where is here?"

Arthur shrugged. "I'm not sure." He pushed Merlin's arm away forcefully since he hadn't lowered it himself. "I can understand why someone would kidnap me, but why you, Morgana? Because you're the King's ward?" His eyes widened. "It's an attack on my father."

Morgana's eyes widened. "Someone's after Uther? Then we have to get out of here. We have to help him!" she said as if she believed they were the ones keeping them all here.

"If it was an attack on Uther, why would they kidnap his kids?" Merlin asked, eyes locked on Morgana, so he saw when she frowned darkly at him after Arthur turned to face his manservant.

"What are you saying, Merlin?" he asked.

Merlin shrugged. "I don't know. It might be an attack on your father. It probably is. But I don't think that explains why _we're_ the ones that were captured. I mean, why capture _us_?"

"Maybe because they know that we would stop them," Morgana suggested, her tone missing all of the innocence of a moment ago. And the way she was staring at Merlin….She was telling Merlin why they were here: because Merlin would stop any attack on Uther.

Arthur rounded on Morgana and she adopted that perfectly innocent and terrified for 'daddy' look she'd grown accustomed to wearing. Merlin frowned over Arthur's shoulder.

"But that's obvious," Arthur was saying. "Uther is the King. Of course we'd protect him. Any _idiot_ would know that," he debunked the idea.

"Well then maybe the attacker isn't an idiot," Merlin suggested. "Maybe they know the castle better than that."

"Are you suggesting an attack from within?" Arthur asked, turning sideways so he could see both his companions without constantly having to turn around.

"Maybe," Merlin said shortly.

"If that's the way it is," Morgana pitched in helpfully, "then no one will ever see it coming. We've got to get out of here before it's too late."

"Right," Arthur agreed. "But Merlin and I tried going out the way we came in. It just sends you to another part of the forest, not out. So unless one of you has a brilliant idea, I'm afraid we're stuck until our captor comes for us or lets us go."

"Right," Merlin said, again shortly. "Morgana should know how to get out." Arthur turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "She's the one who fell asleep and ended up here. She must've been near the person who cast the spell for that to happen, right? So she should know who's behind the attack."

Arthur raised both eyebrows. "That's pretty good, Merlin. Morgana, did you see anyone suspicious in the castle? In your rooms?"

Morgana waited a moment, her eyes shifting back and forth like she was trying to remember. "No," she breathed out, sounding tormented. "No, I don't remember anyone. There was just Gwen and me, that was it. I didn't see who it was. I'm sorry," she gushed, beginning to tear up.

Merlin scoffed from next to him and Arthur turned to tell him off, but stopped upon seeing the barely held in rage on Merlin's face. "Just admit it," Merlin said quietly, staring straight at Morgana. "You're the reason we're here. You brought us here."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Merlin-"

"Why would I do that?" Morgana asked tearfully, sniffling. "Why would I want to hurt the man who's been so kind to me?"

"Because you don't feel that way at all," Merlin accused. "You told me that yourself. You _didn't_ feel safe in Camelot. And I know for a fact that you tried to have him killed before, back when Gwen's father died."

"What?" Arthur gasped, looking to Morgana for answers. "Did you really?"

Morgana looked cornered. "I…I…I was angry with him. I blamed him for her father's death. I thought the world would be better without him," she admitted. Arthur looked like he'd been punched in the gut. Morgana panicked. "But I stopped it!" she tried. "I forgave him for it. Really. I saved him from the bandits!"

She was really convincing, to the point where if Merlin hadn't known the truth even he would've believed her.

"And the mandrake?" Merlin asked. "The one you hung under his bed to make him hallucinate?" Morgana stopped her pleading abruptly and Arthur looked at Merlin like he'd lost his mind. Merlin laid it all out on the line. If she was going to give away any of his secrets, she already had enough kindling to light a _bonfire_. "Or the time you tried to stab him in his sleep? Or the Knights of Medhir?" he asked. "What about _those_ times?"

"I had nothing to do with the Knights!" Morgana shouted angrily, and then covered her mouth. Arthur raised an eyebrow at her and Merlin smirked.

"Ok, not the Knights then. Maybe that was a coincidence. But the others? I bet you've tried to kill Uther a dozen times by now. Did you hire the assassin on his birthday? I bet you weren't happy I saved him, were you? Why don't you just admit it?"

Arthur opened his mouth to refute what Merlin was saying, but Morgana beat him to it. She chuckled. "Why not?" Morgana asked, seeming almost innocent in her query. "It's not like it will matter soon anyway."

"Morgana?" Arthur let out in surprise, his eyes widening as he took in her smirk and suddenly dry eyes.

Morgana's eyes turned from Merlin to Arthur. "Don't look at me like that, Arthur. Uther is a self-righteous pig; a hypocrite that deserves to _die_," she spat like venom. "You thought so too, once. You know I'm right."

Arthur looked baffled. Morgana? "He may have made mistakes, Morgana, but I've lived during a time when he wasn't there and I realized...I'm not ready for him to die yet. So regardless of what he's done, Morgana-"

"He killed your mother, Arthur." Arthur's mouth shut tight, his eyes hardening. Morgana smirked. "No, it wasn't a lie."

Merlin almost growled. "It may not have been a _lie_," he began, drawing their attentions, "but the way Morgause told him was. She _used_ his _mother_, someone dear to his heart, to twist the truth so Arthur would kill his father." He shook his head. "It doesn't matter if he was born from magic. It doesn't matter that Uther used magic. Both his mother and his father agreed. Neither knew what would happen."

Morgana scoffed. "And how exactly does a mere _servant_ know that, Merlin? Dabbled a bit yourself?" she prodded knowingly. Merlin's jaw tightened.

"I asked," Merlin said dismissively. "I asked Gaius and he told me the truth." Turning his eyes to Arthur, he said, "Your father _loved_ your mother. He wasn't lying when he said he would never hurt her. You have to believe that."

"Because _you_ say so, Merlin?" Morgana sneered. "What makes you any different than me?"

"I've never plotted to kill the King or bring down the kingdom." Arthur looked between Merlin and Morgana cautiously. It was like a verbal _battle_!

"I'm making the world a better place," Morgana asserted.

Arthur's jaw dropped. "Morgana! Father loves you like his own daughter. How-"

Morgana glared, her face scrunched up in anger. 'Like his own.' Ha. "He wouldn't if he knew about me. I have magic, Arthur, and I always have and I always will. Uther would have me killed if he knew." She looked to Merlin with a smirk. "Which makes you like me, Merlin. You knew and you never told anyone. _You_ want Uther dead just as much as me."

"What?" Merlin practically shouted.

Arthur stepped in front of Merlin, shielding him from Morgana, and stared his sister directly in the eyes. "Morgana...Father loves you, maybe more than he loves even me. He would overlook practically anything for you. Even if I had obvious proof of your treason, the attempts on his life, he still would never believe you would hurt him. So why would you, when you have that sort of trust?"

Morgana stared, eyes glazed over, for a few moments, looking conflicted. Merlin's chest tightened: there was hope for her yet. Mere seconds later, she glared again. "Why should I protect Uther and his _precious_ kingdom when no one protected me?" she demanded.

What could he do to make her change her mind? What? Was there anything he-Could that…?

"Trust me, Arthur, when I say that if Tethella had not foretold your future, I'd burn Camelot to the ground!"

"I'm sorry!"

Arthur looked behind himself at Merlin and Morgana stopped talking. Merlin stepped to Arthur's left so he could face his darker half.

"It's my fault, right?" he half-asked, looking forlorn. "If it wasn't for me...you wouldn't be this way. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have been gone for a year, going through who knows what. If it wasn't for me. You _hate_ me, so just say it." He waited a beat, and then took a deep breath, bracing himself. "I'm so sorry that I tried to kill you; that I poisoned you." Arthur stiffened next to him and Merlin purposefully kept his eyes on Morgana. "Morgause…I don't know….she did something to you, and it caused the spell. I had to kill you to stop it. If I hadn't done it, everyone would have died. It's not a good excuse, I know, but it's the truth. I would never have done it if I'd been given another choice, I swear," he breathed out. "I'm sorry I was so angry at you. I'm sorry I fought you and hurt you. I'm sorry I didn't die," he half breathed out the last one.

Morgana physically recoiled on the last one. "What makes you think a simple _apology_ is enough to make me forsake my sister?" she asked angrily.

Merlin shrugged, flopping his arms uselessly. "It isn't. It shouldn't be. But I just...I just...," he trailed off. He had nothing left. If that didn't do it, he didn't know what to do. She had lost her leverage against him, but he was sure she could find something else to have him killed for if she wanted to. Heck, she could probably kill him right here and now.

"Morgana," Arthur began, his gaze steady on Merlin even as he spoke to his sister. "What is this place?"

"The Valley of No Return," she stated clearly. "It is my realm and I control it. No one can leave without my permission and no one can enter without my help. You two are stuck here."

"I take it there's an attack going on _right now_ then?" he asked. Morgana didn't answer and Arthur nodded. "We're here until my father is dead," he murmured. Suddenly, without warning, Arthur turned to Morgana, took the two steps that separated them, and wrapped her in an embrace.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Morgana stuttered out, completely out of her element. "Arthur?"

Arthur held her tighter. "I'm sorry for all the pain you've been through, Morgana, really I am...but he is my father...and I cannot just sit here while he is murdered. I cannot simply wait as my father's city - _my_ city - and its people are destroyed." He pulled back from her but kept his hands on her shoulders. His eyes were kind and forgiving. "Please...let us go so I can save him."

Morgana stared at him for three seconds. "What, so you can turn me in once the danger's over? I'm not keen to lose my head, Arthur," she said angrily.

Arthur shook his head. "I won't tell him. Morgana, if you help me save him, I won't tell him. You can use your magic to save the kingdom, to do good...Isn't that what you want? Isn't that what magic is _for_?"

Morgana's widened. That sounded like what Merlin had said to her before... "I..."

"We can be allies," Merlin's voice spoke up from somewhere behind Arthur that neither royal could see. "We can all protect the kingdom together."

He was asking from a magic user's standpoint. He was willing to forgive her for everything she'd done: they both were. All she had to do was give up Morgause.

"She's my sister," Morgana challenged weakly.

Arthur's grip tightened on her shoulders minutely. "A sister full of darkness and hate," he murmured. "How about a brother willing to love and forgive? A brother who promises to protect you with all that he is?"

Morgana's lips quivered upwards momentarily. "Never knew you to be quite so emotional," she half-teased. Her smile dropped. "If I side with you, I betray my sister. If I do that, she will not be so forgiving."

"We've beaten her before," Arthur said confidently.

Morgana lifted an eyebrow. She knew now that most of those times were probably because of Merlin, but she would let Arthur have his fun. "You so sure about that?" she asked, teasing back in her voice even as she was completely serious.

"We can take her," Merlin ascertained.

Morgana took a step back from Arthur, and then two more steps. She looked from her brother to Merlin and back. "I'm putting all my trust in you," she told them. "I _hate_ Uther; he is a cold hearted and evil man….But I will….allow him a chance….for you, Arthur. Be swift."

And just like that, Morgana faded away. With her went the flowing river, the tall mountains, and the endless forests. Suddenly, Arthur and Merlin found themselves back in the forest where they'd started, just past the tree the deer had led them around. Merlin looked to the side and saw the broken bushes where he'd fallen just before he walked into the Vale.

They were back. Really back.

"Let's go," Arthur commanded in a quiet rush, and Merlin nodded. They both ran for their horses, saddling up as quickly as possible – Arthur faster than Merlin, obviously – and racing back to the castle at near break neck speeds.

…

…

Morgause slipped into the castle at Camelot without a sound, walked calmly to the throne room without alerting a single guard, and entered the room through an unguarded side door without issue. Uther was seated in his throne with a frown on his face, a poorly dressed peasant before him on his knees with his head bowed and the royal court surrounding them both.

Uther sighed. "The claim brought against you is that you stole all your neighbor's swine and then ran off with his daughter, taking both his livelihood and his family. This is a very serious accusation," he said evenly. If it was up to him, the man would be thrown in jail for the rest of his life, but there were the rights of the people to consider. Besides, this man was probably the only one with any clues as to where the daughter was right now. "What do you have to say in your defense?"

The peasant shrugged unevenly. "I did take his swine, I admit to that. And I'm sorry for it, but last winter saw all my livestock died from the cold and I needed some way to feed my family." He looked up at Uther and then back down at the floor. "But I did nothing to his daughter. I swear it!"

"Liar!" Another peasant shouted, bursting from the crowd.

Before it could go any further (Morgause had no patience for peasants), Morgause stepped forward from behind the throne and into plain view. "Slǽpgelíce and déaþ," she said clearly, waving her hand out to the multitude gathered. At once, they all fell where they stood and did not move.

"You!" Uther shot out like acid, standing from his throne. He looked to the doors and opened his mouth.

Morgause lifted her hand with a quiet "Sálnes," and then quickly shut it into a loose fist. Uther stopped and put a hand to his throat, eyes wide. "Do not bother with words, Uther Pendragon. There are none in Camelot who can protect you now." She took a step closer to him and Uther fell back into his throne trying to step away from her. She smirked. "ætniman ǽðm; áberan lif," she murmured out quickly, her eyes flashing golden.

Uther's eyes widened a bit further at the sight, remembering Merlin's eyes doing the same only a few short months ago. And then he felt all the air leave his lungs and no matter how he tried, he couldn't take a breath to save his life. He grasped at his throat, his chest, the air, his eyes bulging with the effort to breathe and failing. In the end, he was clutching the wooden arms of his throne, pleading in his mind: stop, please, air, someone….

And then the doors burst open and in ran Arthur and Merlin, gasping for the air Uther craved like they'd run a long distance. They quickly caught their breath upon seeing Morgause standing before the king and Uther himself turning purple in the face.

"Let him go!" Arthur shouted, running forward and pulling his sword from its sheath.

Morgause grinned, drawing her own sword and meeting him head on while Merlin snuck around them both to reach Uther, still suffocating on his throne. "You forget quickly, young prince, how easily I bested you before."

"Not this time, Morgause," Arthur hissed out before pushing her back with everything he had.

Merlin leant over Uther, who stared back at him with wild eyes. "What did she do?" he asked in a quiet rush. Uther grabbed at his throat and Merlin understood immediately. He racked his brain for a spell, but couldn't think of one. He'd have to make one up, he supposed. He took a deep breath, wished for the best, placed his hands on Uther's chest, and breathed out, "Ic giefan ǽðm." Uther showed no sign of breathing and Merlin took another breath to calm his racing heart as Morgause pushed Arthur back toward the far wall with her attacks. "Ic giefan ǽðm," he repeated, clearer but no louder. His eyes flashed gold and he felt the rush of magic flow through him and into Uther.

The sound of Uther gasping suddenly overtook the room and Morgause stopped fighting, turning around to see Merlin patting Uther on the shoulder while he took in deep, rasping breaths, the color of his face returning to normal.

"No!" she shouted angrily. Arthur took this opportunity to attack. He lunged forward and Morgause didn't notice until it was almost too late. She jumped back but Arthur's slash caught her in the right arm. "Ah!" she yelled out, grasping her arm in pain as blood began to drip through the cracks in her fingers. She glared at Arthur, then behind her at Merlin before quickly returning her gaze to Arthur. "You will not always be able to save him," she declared loudly, to both Arthur and Merlin.

She began muttering under her breath and Merlin noticed too late that it was effectively the same spell she'd used when vanishing with Morgana. Before he could even open his mouth, the wind picked up and swirled around the room and then suddenly Morgause was gone, only a few drops of blood on the ground showing she was ever there. Merlin almost walked away toward where she'd been, but Uther clamped a hand down on his arm near the elbow and forced him to stay where he was. He was worried that if Merlin were to walk away, his ability to breathe would go with it. Merlin gave Uther a look a shock, but didn't try to walk away again.

The rest of the room began to stir, every noble and peasant slowly waking from their death like slumber now that the caster of the spell was gone. Just as Arthur was beginning to catch his breath, Morgana rushed into the room looking half-panicked. Merlin and Arthur's eyes shot to her, wide and wondering what she would do now. She cast her gaze between her wheezing father, her fellow sorcerer, and her half-brother before she rushed forward and threw her arms around Arthur in a nearly bone crushing hug.

"Morgana," Arthur rasped out, shocked. She only held him, if possible, tighter, without a word. After a moment of awkwardness, Arthur dropped his sword and held her in return, if not much gentler.

…

…

"Magic tried to end my life today," Uther stated simply, a hint of bitterness in his tone, that night at dinner.

Arthur looked up from where he'd been staring at his food pointedly hoping his father did not bring this up. He had to protect Morgana now. The only problem was that now that he knew, he was more likely to accidentally say something stupid that would incriminate her, and he really really really didn't want to do that. She was his sister, after all, and she'd promised to do good for his father and this country for his sake, if nothing else. And he'd promised her, and he didn't break promises.

Besides: she'd cried into his chest when she saw they'd saved Uther. She couldn't hate him too much….right?

Across from him, Morgana kept her eyes on her food and set her fork down.

"The sorceress Morgause tried to kill me," Uther pressed. Arthur took a sip from his goblet to cover his nerves. "This is just another example of the evil of magic and it further justifies my actions. I must-" he stopped abruptly as Merlin stepped over from somewhere off to the side and refilled Arthur's nearly empty glass. Uther watched him until he'd walked away again and then shook his head and focused back on his children. "Camelot must be more vigilant against such atrocities," he continued. "We must stamp out evil with a firm hand and a sharp sword. Arthur," he addressed his son directly. Arthur sat up straighter. "You must work extra hard at learning how to be a better ruler. Do not get soft."

"Yes, father," he agreed stonily.

"Morgana," Uther said, turning to face his daughter. Morgana stiffed and lifted her head with a perfect smile in place.

"Hm?" she asked, her voice not betraying anything she felt. Arthur was reminded of how long she'd hidden her treachery from them and how easily. She was an amazing actress.

Uther gave her a stern look. "You must be on alert. A magical attack could come at any time from anywhere. Be cautious of anyone you do not know, and more so to those you do. Anyone could be a sorcerer." He pointedly _did not_ look in Merlin's direction.

Morgana frowned. "That's a bit _extreme_, don't you think?" she asked bitterly. "That's like saying I should be most afraid of _Gwen_, and she's been a faithful friend of mine for years!" she objected.

Arthur grinned. Perfect. "Yea. That's like saying _Mer_lin is a sorcerer."

Morgana and Uther both paused and looked at Merlin, who smiled uneasily and gave a shy wave from his spot in the corner. Morgana gave a broken laugh. "Ah ha. Ha. Yea. That's it. It's like saying _Merlin_ is a sorcerer." She tore her eyes from Merlin and back to Uther, who did the same and looked to Morgana. "It's…completely ridiculous. I'll keep an eye out for anyone who seems to be out to get me and anyone who I get a bad feeling about, but just because I know them doesn't mean I'm going to suspect them of using enchantments and spells, Uther," she ended convincingly.

Uther regarded her calmly for a few moments and then nodded with a smile. "You always have had a knack for feeling people out, Morgana." Morgana gave an easy smile and Arthur a half-grin. Uther frowned and they both dropped their smiles instantly. "But please….be careful."

Morgana smiled again and placed her hand on his. For the first time, Arthur noticed how tense her shoulders were at having physical contact with his father. "Of course," she placated gently. "Now. We should enjoy the rest of our meal without such dark themes as death and treason." She flit her eyes across Arthur's face nervously, but he just smiled encouragingly and so she gave a little smile in return and picked up her fork again.

…

…

Morgause stared at the image of Morgana smiling in the crystals and her frown deepened. "Sister…," she breathed out. "Why?" The image switched to Merlin standing to the side, watching, and she frowned even deeper. "_Merlin_."

…

…

**Next Time: ****Emrys and Vortigern – Part One**

_Lord Vortigern of Cymry has come to Camelot for one reason: to find Merlin. Why? Now Merlin is far from Camelot, far from his destiny, and anything can happen. What causes the quakes of Vortigern's fortress? What will Arthur do when he learns his servant is missing?_

…

…

Translations:

slǽpgelíce and déaþ = Sleep like as to death

sálnes = silence

ætniman ǽðm; áberan lif = deprive air; remove life

Ic giefan ǽðm = I give breath (air)


	12. Emrys and Vortigern  Part I

**Happy Belated New Year!** I hope you all had a great holiday! Personally, I spent it at Disney World. It was FANTASTIC. Thank you all for reading this story every time I post it! I posted the whole thing at once on Livejournal so that at least some people could read my Fisher King part before The Eye of the Phoenix aired, but that meant I only got feedback on the last chapter. I love getting reviews on each chapter, learning what you loved from each one, reading your comments and questions...Much hugs and love to you all!

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**Emrys and Vortigern – Part One**

_Lord Vortigern of Cymry has come to Camelot for one reason: to find Merlin. Why? Now Merlin is far from Camelot, far from his destiny, and anything can happen. What causes the quakes of Vortigern's fortress? What will Arthur do when he learns his servant is missing?_

…

…

A/N: While researching, I found a legend that mentioned a 'young Merlin' and kinda went all O.O and read all about it. Thus spawned this. It was supposed to be only one installment, but I realized it was too long to be only one. And then I thought: Well, every season has a two part episode in it. Here's mine.

…

…

A grand carriage had arrived in Camelot. Its ostentatious golden yellow color dulled only by the deep brown wood of old trees native to the country it came from: Cymry. Once stopped before the large entry doors of the Camelot castle, a door opened in the side and a man dressed in blue and red peasant's clothes stepped out hurriedly before turning and helping his master out. The man that exited second caused all of the knights of Camelot to stand their straightest and hold their breaths.

He wore golden yellow robes with white fur lining made from the pelts of fox found in a country across the sea. On his head was a crown, symbolizing his kingship and showing off his grandeur with all its gems and detail. His servant walked before him, as if announcing the way. Knights opened the main doors and led him to the throne room, where King Uther and Prince Arthur stood in waiting with many of the local nobility surrounding them.

Uther stepped down from his seat and shook hands with the man, a little smile on each of their faces. "Lord Vortigern," he greeted amiably. "It is so rare for you to make a visit. I'm so pleased you could come."

Lord Vortigern, a man around Uther's own age but two inches taller and quite a bit more muscled, shook his head. "The pleasure is all mine, my liege," he corrected. "I heard your son pulled his destiny from a stone and I wanted to see for myself."

Uther grimaced ever so slightly but immediately smiled again and motioned for Lord Vortigern to come closer to the throne with him. "Yes, he did, in fact. Arthur will assume the throne of Camelot upon my death and, if the witch is to be trusted, rule over the entirety of Albion. But enough about politics," he brushed into another subject easily. "We'll host a banquet to celebrate your visit with us. Tonight."

Lord Vortigern grinned. "I always did love a good party."

Arthur scoffed silently from his place on the side.

…

...

"I don't believe him."

Merlin looked up from where he was polishing the buttons on Arthur's newest banquet tunic, which held more class than the last one in his opinion. "Why not?" he asked easily.

Arthur, who was just coming out from behind his changing wall wrapped in a towel, scowled. "I pulled that sword from the stone almost a year ago, and he is just now making a trip to Camelot to offer his congratulations? It's got to be some sort of trick."

Merlin watched Arthur as he walked over to the bath Merlin had just finished preparing for him, but looked back to his job of polishing the buttons when the prince made to get into the tub. "I don't know. He is from Cymry, so maybe he just couldn't make the journey before."

Arthur scoffed. If Merlin hadn't known better, he would've thought Arthur was completely relaxed in the tub, as his posture suggested. In fact, he was really upset. "Lord Vortigern may get his clothes from across the sea, but his kingdom is not that far away. It's in Albion, even."

Merlin grinned, pausing in his work to turn and look at Arthur. "Maybe he'll challenge you for the kingship, like Sir Pelleas did," he joked.

Arthur snorted and flicked water toward Merlin. Merlin was across the room, so it didn't get anywhere near him, but it was humorous anyway. They smiled at each other for a moment before Arthur realized what he was doing. He cleared his throat and faced forward in the tub, looking at the far wall instead of his servant. Merlin shrugged and went back to finishing the tunic.

It wasn't until Merlin had finished polishing and was moving to set the folded clothes to the side that Arthur spoke. "Lord Vortigern is well known as a warlord. The man lives for battles, Merlin." The water sloshed a bit when Arthur sat up in the tub instead of laying back. "He's the last person who would congratulate me on uniting all of Albion."

Merlin grabbed a towel and made his way over to Arthur in the tub at a leisurely pace. "So you don't trust him, is what you're saying."

"Right."

Merlin shrugged. "I can't say I do either. He's got this….strange feeling about him."

Arthur scoffed. "As usual, you have an amazingly ridiculous opinion, Merlin." But he did agree all the same. Lord Vortigern was creepy on a practically subconscious level.

Merlin chose to ignore the jab at his intelligence and instead held out the towel. "You might want to hurry up in there, sire. You'll be late for the feast," he teased subtly.

…

…

Lord Vortigern's servant juggled and blew fire at dinner, and several artisans from within Camelot's walls also showed off their talents and skills. One did gymnastics, one presented the lord with a portrait, and a few joined together to show off a local dance. The night was going spectacularly well, actually.

About two and a half hours into the festivities, Vortigern coughed into his hand a few times and pat his chest. Uther turned to him in minute concern. "Are you feeling alright, Lord Vortigern?"

Vortigern gave a wavering smile and coughed again into his hand. "Actually…I think I may be coming down with something….Perhaps I should retire to my room for the night and rest."

Uther nodded encouragingly. "Of course. You need your health."

Merlin and Arthur watched him like a hawk as he left. Arthur motioned for Merlin to bend down. "I want you to follow him," Arthur whispered in Merlin's ear. "Don't let him see you, because I won't stand up for you if he does, but tell me if he goes anywhere but his chambers."

Merlin nodded, set the wine pitcher next to Arthur's goblet, and left the hall in the least conspicuous fashion that he could. Just outside, Merlin had to hide because Vortigern was speaking to his servant at the end of the hall. They were whispering and Merlin didn't catch any of what they said before they both headed off together down a connecting hallway. Merlin took a deep breath before following as softly and secretly as he could manage, hiding in crevices every chance he got.

Unfortunately, Vortigern and his servant were actually just heading to the room Uther had had made up for him to stay in during his visit. They weren't headed to the armory, or the treasure room, or Uther or Arthur's bedrooms. Merlin frowned and made his way back through the castle to the dining hall.

He immediately picked up the wine pitcher once he was back at the table and poured more into Arthur's goblet. As he handed the now full goblet to Arthur, he leaned down next to his ear. "He got his servant and they went to his chambers. That's it."

Arthur frowned but accepted the wine from Merlin. Something still didn't sit right with him about Lord Vortigern.

…

…

Lord Vortigern stared out his chamber window the next morning, watching Merlin leave Gaius's tower and make his way across the courtyard toward the main castle doors.

"Hyne," he called softly. "Are you certain he's the one?"

His servant moved next to him in the window and looked out at Merlin as well, who'd stopped part way across the courtyard to help a female servant pick up some clothes she'd dropped. He held up a clear stone on a string and it bent forward until it was pointing directly at Merlin before glowing a faint golden color.

"Yes, sire. The stone confirms it. He's the one we came for."

Vortigern nodded, his eyes following Merlin into the castle before he moved from his spot at the window. Hyne put the stone in his pocket and turned to watch what his lord was doing. Vortigern stopped at the table in his room, placed his left hand on it for a moment, and then turned to face his servant.

"You know what to do then," he said as if it were an order in and of itself. Hyne nodded without a word. Vortigern inclined his head in acceptance. "Good. Do it tonight." A glare slid itself slowly into place on his face. "I can't stand to be in such a peace loving place for one more day."

"As you wish it, my lord. I'll invite the young Merlin in the usual way."

…

…

The door to Gaius's chambers opened softly and slowly. Three shadows, two large and one smaller, crept inside. They completely bypassed Gaius asleep in the main room and instead followed the smaller man up the three steps to the second door. That door opened just as silently as the first and they slipped inside Merlin's bedroom.

Hyne, the smallest of the three, held up three fingers. The other two nodded and Hyne lowered each finger in a countdown until there were none. The two larger men reached out at the same time and grabbed Merlin's arms and legs tightly, hoisting him roughly out of the bed.

"Wha-" Merlin began in shock and fear, but Hyne cut him off by gagging him as soon as his mouth opened. Merlin looked at him, eyes wide in surprise, before glaring. Arthur was right! They were up to something!

"Shh," Hyne instructed. "Lord Vortigern requires your assistance."

Merlin gave him a 'go die' glare and began struggling as much as he could, but the two larger men were stronger than he was and he wasn't making much progress. He did manage to hook his foot on his cover and throw it off the bed, but that was about it. They carried him out of his room and across the workshop and Merlin caught sight of Gaius still asleep.

"Hmmph!" he cried around the gag, a muffled sound. He glared, eyes flashing gold, and suddenly vials flew off the counters to shatter on the floor and the broom fell over and books shot off the shelves and landed with loud thuds on the ground. "Hyhuh!" he called out to the older man.

The noise woke Gaius up with a start and he shot up in bed, flipping around to see what all the fuss was about. "Merlin, what are you-" He stopped his complaint suddenly, just as the men holding Merlin stopped walking. "What are you doing with Merlin!" Gaius yelled, standing up.

Hyne smirked. "Seems there's a slight hitch in the plan." He took a step toward Gaius. "Sorry, old man, but I cannot let you interfere."

"I won't let you-"

"Line cysban," Hyne breathed out in a hiss, and suddenly Gaius' arms shot to his sides as ropes appeared out of nowhere and hogtied him. Merlin tried to yell behind the gag but it didn't really work. "Swebban."

Gaius' eyes rolled back in his head and he fell to the floor with a low 'whump' that made Merlin wince. He hoped the older man wasn't hurt from the fall!

Hyne turned back to the other men with him. "Let's go. We're already running late."

Merlin's attention snapped from Gaius on the ground to Hyne standing before him and he felt rage consume him. This guy…this sorcerer working for Lord Vortigern….he'd used magic to harm Gaius! Merlin's eyes flashed golden and the two men holding him cried out, dropping Merlin to instead care for their suddenly burning hands. Merlin hit the ground running, so to speak. He caught himself, ripped the gag out of his mouth, and jumped up.

"You won't get away with this," he breathed out, taking a step forward so he was right up in Hyne's face, raising his fist to punch the guy's lights out.

Hyne didn't even flinch. "Swebban," he repeated just before Merlin threw his punch. Merlin's eyes rolled back just as Gaius' had and he too fell to the floor, but in a jumbled heap. "If I'd known you would be so much trouble, young warlock, I'd have cast that spell on you from the beginning." He looked from Merlin on the ground to the guys with him. "Pick him up."

…

...

Arthur grumbled to himself as he walked down the hallway. It was practically noon and Merlin had never shown up this morning with his breakfast! Lord Vortigern had departed that morning for Cymry, his failing health a concern large enough for him to cut his visit short. Arthur had barely woken up in time to see him off because Merlin never came to make up his room! Needless to say, Arthur wasn't very happy with his servant just then.

He slowed upon reaching Gaius' chamber door. It was wide open. Stepping inside, he was shocked at the state of the room. Glass vials were shattered all over the place, their contents seeping into wood and stone and straw. Books were strewn all across the floor, some in positions that Arthur knew would break the spine and cause them to fall apart at the seams. But the most startling thing was the sight of Gaius tied up on the floor with a growing bruise on his forehead.

Arthur rushed to Gaius' side and knelt by him, giving his shoulder a shake. "Gaius," he called quietly. Gaius groaned, his eyes opening blearily. Arthur let out a sigh of relief but frowned shortly. "Gaius, what happened here?" he asked. Looking around, he noticed that Merlin's bedroom door was open as well. "Where's Merlin?"

That seemed to wake Gaius up in an instant. He struggled to a sitting position with Arthur's help and the prince immediately began untying the physician. "They took Merlin," Gaius gasped out. "Last night…"

Arthur paused for a moment just as he finished untying the ropes and forgot to breathe. Then he shook his head and pulled the ropes off of Gaius. "What do you mean? Who? Where did they take him? Why?"

Gaius shook his head, holding out his hands for Arthur to take. Once he had the extra help, Gaius stood, Arthur with him. "Lord Vortigern's manservant, the one that was breathing fire at the feast," he explained in a rush, in a wheeze. "Him and two others. I heard a racket and it woke me up. I thought it was just Merlin sneaking out or something, but then I saw them….carrying Merlin towards the door…" He stopped to gasp in a few breaths and Arthur let him have his moment, instead looking around the room before finally resting on the door. "I'm sorry, sire….I couldn't stop them."

Gaius knew how much Merlin meant to the prince, and vice versa. Merlin was a son to Gaius, but he was Arthur's best friend.

Arthur shook his head, a deep scowl painting his face. "That rat," he spit out. "I saw him off this morning and the whole time….Merlin was probably stuffed in a trunk or something in that oversized moving hutch he calls a carriage!"

He stalked to the door in a huff. "Sire?"

Arthur turned around. "I'm going to my father. Lord Vortigern has stolen from the royal family of Camelot." It was said easily enough, but Gaius could sense the anger seeping from the prince's eyes and posture.

"Wait," he called out. "I'll come with you."

…

…

"_Let us out!"_

Merlin's eyes shot open and he shoved himself up in bed. Looking around the room, he couldn't find anything that would've woken him so violently; no person yelling, or any person at all. What he did find is that this was not his bedroom in Camelot. Looking down at himself, he found that he was also not wearing the night clothes he wore to sleep last night. Instead, he wore dark dress pants and a deep blue tunic reminiscent of the robes Gaius sometimes wore, but it was all made of much finer fabric…like silk. On his feet was a pair of simple flat shoes the same deep blue as his tunic. He'd never touched such soft and fine fabric before in his life!

For a moment Merlin was totally confused, and then his eyes widened as he remembered what happened the night before. "Gaius," he breathed out, jumping out of the bed and rushing to the door. He grabbed the door handle and ripped it open, but stopped upon seeing the two large men who'd taken him from his bed standing guard outside. "Hm," he let out.

They stared at him blankly, emotionlessly, for several long moments before the one on the right motioned for the one on the left to go away. Even with the odds slightly more in his favor now, Merlin still just stood in the doorway, his hand on the handle.

"Morning," he greeted. The man, a bald and muscle bound human, grunted in greeting. Judging by the way he held himself, this man was not a soldier but a thug for hire.

Merlin opened his mouth to say something else, to ask a question, but the second thug for hire returned at that moment with Hyne in tow. Merlin's expression fell into one of distaste at the sight of the Cymry servant.

"Ah, young Merlin," Hyne greeted with a smile. "It's good to see you awake at last."

Hyne and Merlin simply stared at one another. Hyne was waiting on Merlin, knowing he wanted to speak, and Merlin was reigning in his anger at the man enough to be able to form the words. When he did speak, it was in a surprisingly calm and soft voice.

"I'm not in Camelot."

"No," Hyne responded with a gentle nod, his voice matching Merlin's in tone.

"I'm in Cymry, at Lord Vortigern's fortress castle."

"Yes." Hyne nodded. "It's nearing midday now. My Lord Vortigern expressed the desire to speak with you immediately upon your wakening, so if you would….," he trailed off, flourishing his hands in a show of Merlin following him without incident.

Merlin nodded, his lips drawn into a tight frown, and followed without a word. The two thugs for hire guarded on either side of him, so there was no way he would get out of this without a fight. He would simply have to see what Lord Vortigern wanted from him, do what he could, and then escape back to Camelot….to Arthur.

…

…

"I request that we send troops to Vortigern's castle to retrieve my manservant and gain retribution for the offense," Arthur finished in an authoritative voice.

He stood in the throne room before his father, who sat in the throne. Morgana and Gwen stood to Arthur's right, looking worried. Gaius stood to Arthur's left, looking grim and harried. Uther stared Arthur down for a moment before taking a deep breath….and shaking his head.

"No, Arthur," he disagreed. Arthur's jaw dropped. Before he could argue, Uther continued. "I understand that the boy…Merlin…was a trusted servant of yours, but I will not risk open war with Cymry for the sake of one boy."

"But he _stole_ from the royal family," Arthur contended, "from right under our noses…in our own _castle_!"

Uther frowned. If it was this easy to get rid of Merlin the wizard, then perhaps he wasn't the one meant to help Arthur after all. In that case, it was better he ended up dead or gone forever than for him to stay by Arthur's side plotting God knows what against the kingdom with his evil ways. Uther mentally shook himself. He'd been through this: Merlin was good. Merlin had saved his life, and Arthur's, and the kingdom's, and used his magic for good. He was not evil. Still….

"You still have much to learn about being king," Uther stated in a deep, commanding voice. "One servant is not worth all out war. Even if we sent only a few soldiers and _peacefully_ asked for the return of your servant and some sort of recompense for the insult, Lord Vortigern is a man of action and of war. We would not come out of the event unscathed. I _cannot_ risk the lives of all of my men for one servant."

"But-" Arthur tried. Uther interrupted.

"That's the end of it, Arthur. You are not to go after him. Return to your duties," he ordered.

Arthur frowned deeply, begrudgingly, but bowed regardless and walked from the room without a word. Morgana frowned for a brief moment before touching Gwen gently on the shoulder and following Arthur out the main doors and down the hall. Gwen got the message and returned to Morgana's chambers to await her mistress after her meeting with Arthur.

Gaius gave Uther a disapproving look. Uther glanced over Gaius' state of being and opened his mouth to apologize for how he'd been treated, but Gaius turned and left through a side door before a sound had passed his lips.

Morgana walked with Arthur to his chambers, and then shut and locked the door behind them once they were inside. "Arthur-"

"I know….father is right," Arthur forced out, setting his hands flat on his table with his back to Morgana. "One servant isn't worth a war. One servant isn't worth an army of men's lives. But Vortigern hurt Gaius and kidnapped my servant…" He trailed off after that, not sure of how to continue. He felt so angry right now!

Morgana placed a gentle hand on Arthur's shoulder and he looked up at her. "I want to help him too. Gaius is alright, but there's no telling what has happened to Merlin…or why they took him." She looked away at the ground to her right for a moment, took a deep breath, and then stared right into Arthur's eyes. "Do you trust me, Arthur?"

Arthur brought his eyebrows together. Trust her? Why wouldn't he…oh….right…Morgana was a witch. His eyes widened slightly with realization. _Morgana was a witch_. She'd tried on several occasions to kill his father or to destroy Camelot. A lot of people had been hurt because of her actions in league with the witch Morgause. He narrowed his eyes and nodded.

"Yes."

Because regardless of what she'd done, Morgana had come back to them. She'd left Morgause behind and joined Arthur in his cause to protect Camelot from all evil, both of magic and of men.

Morgana nodded as well, to herself, and took another deep breath. "I'm…I'm going to use magic…Arthur. I'm going to see if I can find out anything about Merlin."

Arthur nodded slowly, agreeing to her idea. "Be careful though."

Morgana gave a weak smile before removing her hand from Arthur's shoulder and making her way around him to the window. She pulled the curtains shut with shaking hands, and Arthur noticed. Morgana wrung her hands together as she walked back to the table. She took a seat and rested her clasped hands on the table in front of her, taking a deep breath. Arthur hesitated only a moment before he placed his right hand on both of her hands. Morgana looked up into his curious and worried eyes.

"S-sorry," she apologized. "I….I still worry that I'll be killed for…" Her eyes dropped to the table, to where Arthur held her hands firmly, and yet gently, in his own.

He gripped her hands a slight bit tighter for a second. "I'll protect you," he promised in a whisper.

Morgana looked up at him again, awe shining in her eyes. "Thank you….Arthur." After a moment, Morgana blinked, shaking her head and gently shaking Arthur's hand away. "Ahem," she cleared her throat and shut her eyes. "Ingefeallan ǽrende ymbe Merlin," she breathed out quietly, her voice shaking still in slight worry.

Arthur watched in shock as her eyes slid open, golden in color. He couldn't help the slight fear that leapt in his chest at the sight. Her eyes flicked back and forth in rapid succession for several minutes before Morgana gasped loudly, her hands shooting off the table to hold her head and she shut her eyes, breathing deeply. "Ah….," she let out, slowly letting her hands lower to the table top again.

Several moments passed with no sound or movement, so Arthur spoke up. "Morgana?" he asked simply.

His sister's eyes snapped up to meet his own and she frowned. "I saw him. I saw Merlin."

Arthur knelt by the table to be closer to Morgana's height. "And?"

Morgana looked at Arthur's shoulder instead of his face. "He's in Cymry…with Lord Vortigern….but….I saw them take him, Arthur. He put up a fight and Vortigern's manservant…put a spell on him…to make him sleep."

Arthur's hands on the table formed into fists and Morgana stopped talking abruptly. She kept her gaze where it was, afraid to look up and see Arthur's anger – his anger toward magic. About a minute later, Arthur seemed to realize she'd stopped talking and his voice broke through to her.

"And? What else?" he asked, the barest hint of frantic concern lacing his words.

Morgana took a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Vortigern wants him for some reason….his servant, a seer like me I'd guess….He told Vortigern something, that…there was something that needed to be done that only Merlin could do." Her eyes narrowed in confusion. What was there that only Merlin could do? He wasn't the only sorcerer in the world, and definitely not the most powerful, so what? "I saw Merlin in Vortigern's castle with his servant and the two men who kidnapped him. They were headed for the throne room to meet Lord Vortigern." She shook her head. "I had a bad feeling, like something terrible is going to happen…or….or already has happened, to Merlin." Morgana shook her head again as if to clear it of the thought and looked at Arthur's face. "I'm sorry. I know none of that is really helpful."

Arthur shook his head. "No. Thank you, Morgana. You took a big risk doing that for me."

"For you?" Morgana scoffed. "I did it for both of us," she corrected, her tone turning into the one of haughty teasing that Arthur was used to. "You're not the only one who cares about Merlin's safety, you know."

Arthur grinned. "Oh. I know," he said like he knew a big secret. Morgana almost responded, but Arthur's face fell from the grin into a simple straight expression. "At least we know he's alright."

"For now," Morgana interjected, and then gave an apologetic look when she realized how unhelpful that was.

Arthur nodded. "Now all that we need to do is get him back before it's too late."

…

…

Merlin stood before Lord Vortigern with Hyne at his side and the two thugs at his back. Vortigern brushed his golden hair, with gray hairs scattered throughout it showing his age, behind one shoulder and regarded Merlin evenly. Merlin kept his eyes on Vortigern's feet, clad in the golden yellow version of the shoes he himself wore.

"I know your secret, boy," Vortigern began. "I know you practice magic under King Uther's very nose. If you try anything foolish, such as escaping from this place without my say so, I'll make sure all of Camelot knows what you are."

Merlin took a breath so deep his shoulders lifted several inches. "What do you want from me?" he asked in a quiet and yet defiant voice.

One of the thugs behind Merlin lifted his arm as if to hit Merlin, but stopped when the whole castle began to shake. Merlin practically tripped forward when a large crack appeared under his left foot but managed to simply take a step to the right and balance himself. Eyes wide, Merlin looked to Vortigern for an answer. Vortigern, a deep frown on his face, leaned forward with his hands clasped before him.

"I want you to figure out what keeps destroying my castle," he demanded hotly, anger rolling off of him in waves.

Merlin looked down at the crack in the floor, then at Vortigern with shock on his face.

…

…

**Next Time: Emrys and Vortigern – Part Two**

_What is destroying Vortigern's castle? What about Merlin is so special that he can stop it? Morgana and Arthur plot a way to rescue Merlin on their own, but a terrible nightmare of Morgana's may signal that time is running out for Camelot's resident magician._

…

…

Translations:

Ingefeallan ǽrende ymbe Merlin = reveal tidings concerning Merlin

Line cysban = rope bind

Swebban = to put to sleep


	13. Emrys and Vortigern  Part II

Blackpoetry: Thank you so much! I agree with you.

**

* * *

Emrys and Vortigern Part Two  
**

_What is destroying Vortigern's castle? What about Merlin is so special that he can stop it? Morgana and Arthur plot a way to rescue Merlin on their own, but a terrible nightmare of Morgana's may signal that time is running out for Camelot's resident magician._

…

…

"I want you to figure out what keeps destroying my castle," he demanded hotly, anger rolling off of him in waves.

Merlin looked down at the crack in the floor, then at Vortigern with shock on his face.

…

…

"You what?" Uther asked, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"I want to see the western shore," Morgana repeated. "I've never been to the ocean before, and Camelot is allies with the country to the west, so I thought maybe I could journey there tomorrow and spend a few days on the shore."

Uther's eyes, if possible, narrowed further. "Really." Morgana nodded innocently. "And…what else?"

Morgana shrugged nonchalantly, like she wasn't surprised Uther had seen through her at all and she wasn't worried about it. "Well, I'd be taking Gwen, of course. But I also hoped to take Arthur along."

"No."

Morgana frowned. "Why not?" she asked stubbornly.

Uther shook his head. "If he leaves this city, Arthur will head straight for Cymry."

Morgana sighed. "That is exactly why I wish to take him with me," she began. Uther gave her a curious and confused look. "Look….with his favorite servant missing, Arthur's concentration slips more every hour. He can't focus on learning to become a king. He can't focus on knight's training. He can't focus on anything," she complained, waving her left arm toward one of the side exits like it was Arthur himself. "I thought, maybe a few days relaxing on a beach, far from his duties, might be of use to him. Maybe he'll get over it."

Uther stared at her long and hard. Morgana held herself strong and tall like a noblewoman the whole time, awaiting his decision. Please say yes. Please say yes!

"Alright," Uther agreed, looking away from her. Morgana let out the breath she was barely aware she'd been holding. "But," Uther started again, looking at her again. Morgana repositioned herself. "You will take Sir Urien with you for extra protection. I won't have you getting kidnapped again."

Morgana frowned. "Surely Arthur is enough. He's the best Camelot has," she reasoned.

Uther shook his head. "He's also distracted. And one man is simply not enough these days. Sir Urien will accompany you three, or you will not go at all."

With a sigh, Morgana agreed, curtsied, and left the room. Arthur stood a hallway away, waiting. When Morgana turned the corner and came face to face with him, she was frowning. "What?" he asked briefly.

"We can go," she said. "But he's ordered Sir Urien to accompany us."

Arthur placed his right hand to his chin in contemplation. "The knights have listened to me before for lesser reasons than this….Sir Urien might actually come in handy in the long run. Once we're out of Camelot, I'll see where his loyalty is."

…

…

Hyne led Merlin down to the lower levels of the castle with not but a single torch to light the way in the darkness. "Whatever the problem is, it is most assuredly beneath the castle," he explained. "The only issue is that no one, and I truly mean no one, can find anything down here that would cause such quakes."

Merlin watched the walls and the floor as they walked. There was a feeling thrumming through the air, coursing in his veins, and he got the distinct impression his father was there with him now. _"As a Dragonlord, you will gain certain…abilities, that will assist you,"_ he heard within his soul, and closed his eyes, feeling his way down the stairs by way of his hand running along the wall.

There was blissful silence for about ten seconds, and then Hyne broke it just as the ground leveled out into a long hall with several side passageways. "As soon as you fulfill the vision I foresaw, Lord Vortigern will release you and you may return to Camelot without a breath about your secret."

Merlin opened his eyes and stared at the back of Hyne's head. "No he won't," he said simply.

Hyne let out a strange laugh and ducked his head for a moment. "No. He really won't," he chuckled. "You're powerful, young warlock. Very powerful."

And that's when Merlin understood. Once he'd proven himself by fulfilling whatever prophecy Hyne had told him, Vortigern was going to use him as a weapon. Most likely, he'd use Merlin as a weapon against Camelot and all of Albion, forcibly taking Arthur's position as rightful King. Well, Merlin couldn't allow that…now could he?

"Has Vortigern heard about Arthur?" Merlin asked conversationally, still trying to get a sense of what he was feeling. "Does he know who Arthur is?" he stressed.

Hyne nodded. "Of course. Every noble in all of Albion, and half of the countries across the sea know of Arthur Pendragon's amazing feat, of his destiny to rule."

"Then why?"

"Because Lord Vortigern doesn't believe in destiny. He believes in gaining what a man can through sheer force and will. He will take control the only way that really matters: by the sword." He seemed quite pleased with himself.

Taking a deep breath, Merlin rushed forward and shoved Hyne into the wall of the hallway. Hyne dropped the torch and it rolled several feet away to the top of another staircase leading further down. "Swebban," Merlin said forcefully, holding Hyne against the wall as he spoke. Instantly, Hyne went still against him and Merlin slowly lowered him to the ground. "A taste of your own magic, Hyne," he grimaced before standing up and moving to grab the torch from where it fell. "Now…where are you…?" he asked the air. He had to find out what was down here and get out before Lord Vortigern realized anything was wrong.

Merlin began descending the stairs swiftly, eyes darting from side corridor to side corridor every level he came to, taking lefts and rights at seemingly random times. Finally, he came to a dead end. Instead of turning back, Merlin walked right up to the wall and placed his hand against it. It felt like the wall had a heartbeat!

"Yppan," he whispered, and suddenly the wall vanished before him to reveal another passage. There were stairs here too, leading even further down. They were very crude in structure, very old, but sturdy and Merlin hurried down them. Eventually he came out in a cavern similar and yet much smaller than the one beneath Camelot castle had been. "Ah," Merlin gasped, almost dropping the torch again in his surprise.

…

…

A burst of fire. Hundreds of men, young and old, running with torches and swords and farming tools, all yelling and screaming and angry. Lord Vortigern in his throne as the walls shake and crumble and the floor splits in two, looking angry and distressed. Merlin with his hands bound behind his back, tattered clothes, and a bruised cheek. A low roar. Fire. An explosion. The fortress was burning to the ground! Vortigern pulled a sword from its sheath and swung it at Merlin at point blank range. There were bodies everywhere, in armor and not, all burnt or bloody, all pale with death. Merlin's eyes were closed as if in sleep, soot and blood on his face.

"NO!" Morgana shouted, shooting up in bed with gasping breaths. Her eyes shot around the room once before she jumped up and ran to her window, looking to the west with bated breath. There was no smoke. There was no fire. "Merlin," she breathed out.

Grabbing her robe, Morgana threw it around her shoulders and ran from her room, down the halls and around corners, until she finally came to a stop outside a very familiar door. Her hand was shaking terribly when she raised it to knock four times on the wood three inches in front of her. When no one answered in several seconds, Morgana knocked again, most insistent this time but still soft due to the lateness of the hour.

"I'm coming," Arthur's muffled voice answered gruffly, clogged with sleep. A moment later, he opened the door shirtless, looking peeved. His expression changed to surprise and then quickly to concern when he saw the state Morgana was in. "Morgana?"

"I…I'm sorry," she practically gasped out. "I just…" Her eyes flicked each way down the hall. "Can I…come in?" she asked hesitantly.

Arthur blinked once, slowly, before shaking his head and moving to the side, opening the door wider. "Of course. Of course. Come in." Once the door was shut and locked behind her, Arthur turned and watched as Morgana went to the window, looking out and to the west as best she could as if waiting for an attack. "Morgana, what's wrong?"

Morgana actually jumped, flipping to face him. "I…I had a dream, just now….a vision." She shook her head. "I've had them for years now, but…recently I've learned to control them, to stop them, because otherwise I get them every night and I get no rest."

Arthur nodded slowly. That would explain how she'd behaved in the past…except for the past year, of course. He was still getting used to the fact that the girl he'd grown up with like a sister was magic, by birth and not by choice. "And tonight's?"

Morgana gulped down a breath. "I let it come," she admitted, then shook her head. "I saw…such terrible events….Vortigern….his castle will burn to the ground. His subjects are planning a revolt, and soon…they'll act on it. I saw him attack Merlin with a sword," she revealed with a shaking voice. "I saw the castle in ruins, the soldiers and the villagers all dead and strewn across the ground…..I saw Merlin-," she cut herself off abruptly, shutting her eyes tight against the images in her mind, and shook her head. "Arthur, we don't have much time. If we don't hurry…."

"Merlin will die," Arthur finished for her, his expression grim. Morgana nodded shakily.

…

…

Dragons! It was dragons!

Merlin watched as the two dragons flew back and forth past each other, coughing out little bits of flame every now and then, and slamming into the walls of the cavern. One was pure white with tendril-like spikes rolling down its back every six to twelve inches. The other was a burnt red color with sharp looking, deep yellow spikes every two to four inches along its spine. Somehow, without asking, Merlin knew the white one was younger than the red, but only by seconds.

The red dragon turned to make another shot around the cavern and caught sight of Merlin standing at the edge of the cavern. It roared, something cute when compared to the Great Dragon he was used to, Kilgarrah, and both dragons flew over and landed only feet from where he stood. They were only about six feet tall each. They were baby dragons!

"Hi," Merlin began.

The red dragon roared again, interrupting anything else he would've said. "Who are you?" it demanded, sounding like a petulant child.

"I am Merlin," he introduced. "I'm a sorcerer and a dragon lord. How old are you both?"

The red dragon made to speak but the white one moved its head in front of him and cut him off. Its voice was softer, gentler, almost fearful. "Only a few months," she revealed. She turned her head to the far corner of the cavern and Merlin looked too, seeing the shards of their eggs there. "We just hatched here. Where are we?" she asked, turning back to face Merlin.

Merlin shook himself. "You're under a castle fortress ruled by a man named Vortigern. He's a warlike man who built his castle here for its strategic battle position. The country is called Cymry." He took a step forward and the red dragon growled. "You will not hurt me."

Instantly, the red dragon stopped growling and lowered its head in submission, chastened. The white one spoke instead. "I know about Dragon Lords. I don't know how….but I know."

Merlin smiled. "That's good." He took a breath. "Why are you attacking the walls and making the castle shake?"

The red one lifted his head. "Because we want out! We want to be free! We're tired of this stupid, pathetic space we were born in and want out!"

"Ok," Merlin agreed, and both dragons looked at him curiously. "I can get you out. In fact, I'd enjoy nothing more than letting you out from under this castle." Because Vortigern's castle would suffer for it. "But you have to agree to some terms."

"What terms?" the red dragon asked, untrusting.

"You have to swear that the first thing you'll do upon leaving this place is seek out the Great Dragon Kilgarrah. He believes he is the last of his kind and I'm sure he'll be overjoyed to know you two exist. Second, you can never, ever, under any circumstances, attack, hurt, or kill a human. Be good," Merlin ordered in a kind, trustworthy tone of voice.

"Anything," the white dragon agreed instantly. There was a moment of silence and she turned her head and leaned sideways to knock into the red dragon, who shook himself, glared at the white dragon, and nodded to Merlin.

"I agree too," he answered at length.

Merlin smiled again. "Great. Now, I'm going to go back out and come up with a way to release you. Be ready. I'll get you out of here soon. I promise." With that, he turned and headed back out of the cavern via the secret passage he'd found. Once back in the known passages, Merlin turned around, held up his hand, and said, "Háligreft." The tunnel vanished behind a solid wall and Merlin smiled to himself before hurrying away from the area.

Just as he reached the top of the first flight of stairs, he was grabbed and thrown to the ground roughly. The torch rolled back down the stairs, but it didn't matter because Merlin heard "Bærnan," and another torch was lit in the hands of Hyne standing four feet down the passage. The man pinning Merlin down quickly bound his wrists tightly, almost painfully, behind his back before doing the same to his ankles.

"What you did was very naughty, young warlock," Hyne sneered, his face red on one side, doubtless from where Merlin had shoved him into the wall. "Lord Vortigern is not happy with you."

"He can burn," Merlin hissed out. "I won't help him. I won't be a weapon!"

Hyne shook his head, a frown on his face. "That just won't do." He nodded to the man holding Merlin down. "Take him to The Chamber."

The man hoisted Merlin up and over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes or rice and made his way down the hall to some unknown location. Merlin shut his eyes and prayed Arthur was ok right now.

…

…

It was early the next morning and Arthur, Morgana, and Gwen's horses were saddled, packed, and ready to go. Sir Urien was just coming out of the stables with his own horse now.

"Let's move," Arthur ordered, already on his horse. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we get back," he grumbled.

Morgana frowned. "You shouldn't rush through life like that, Arthur. It's unbecoming of a King." She was also already in the saddle.

Arthur made to grumble something back at her, but caught sight of Gwen mounting her horse just past Morgana's shoulder and stopped. She looked conflicted: happy to be going on a trip, but cautious and worried as well. Gwen glanced over at Arthur, gasped silently at seeing him staring at her as well, and looked forward again with a large blush on her face. Oh. Arthur frowned slightly. She was worried because he was on the trip with her. He wished she wasn't-

"All ready, sire," Sir Urien announced, coming to a halt on his horse right next to Arthur. "Shall we proceed?"

Arthur frowned at the knight. He was a few years older than Morgana and himself, but not by much, with dark brown hair in a choppy cut and amazingly green eyes. He was attractive. Arthur was more so.

"We shall," Arthur agreed, tapping his horse with his heels to make him walk forward.

They were just out of sight of the castle when Sir Urien spoke up again. "Sire?" he breeched.

"Hm?" Arthur asked without looking at him.

"I just wanted to let you know," Urien began again. "Whatever it is we're really going to do out here….I'll follow you."

Arthur stopped his horse short and turned to look at the young knight beside him. Everyone else stopped their horses accordingly and gave him similar looks. "What?" Morgana managed.

Sir Urien fiddled with his reins for a moment before sitting straight-backed in his saddle. "I know your servant is missing, sire, and I know you asked the King to send troops to retrieve him and that you were denied. I highly doubt this is really a trip to the ocean purely for pleasure, my lord, and I simply wished to assure you that I will do whatever it is you require of me….unto death."

Morgana shared a happy, pride filled look with Gwen while Arthur simply blinked at the man. After a few moments, he nodded and kicked his horse into walking again, the rest following his lead. "Good," Arthur said once they were all moving again, "because we'll be infiltrating King Vortigern's fortress in less than two days."

…

…

It was late afternoon when Merlin was shoved down on his knees before Vortigern in the throne room. His hands were still tied behind his back, though it was hours later. He squint his eyes in the brightness of the room, still recovering from being in the dark Chamber for hours with Vortigern's thugs showing him how he'd regret his decisions. A bruise from someone hitting him was forming high on his left cheek, and he didn't doubt that there were a lot of other bruises under the clothes he'd woken up in. He'd never had anyone beat him before, and Merlin decided he never wanted anyone to ever again. It really really hurt!

"Have you reconsidered?" Vortigern asked slowly, looking like he had not a care in the world.

Merlin glared at him. "You have me beaten and then ask if I want to work for you? What kind of stupid idea is that?" He knew he should keep his mouth shut, but he'd never been very good at it. "I'll never work for you. Arthur Pendragon is my only master."

Lord Vortigern tensed, a deep and intense frown on his face. "You will work for me, or you will regret it for the rest of your very. short. life," he threatened.

Merlin opened his mouth to retort, but stopped, turning his head to the side a bit as the white dragon's voice entered his head. "_Merlin! Something's happening outside the castle! Where _are_ you_?"

…

…

An army of three hundred farmers and workers, peasants, of Cymry was gathered at the edge of the woods outside the castle fortress, just out of sight.

"Alright," the one in charge began. "The rumors were true. The whole place looks about to fall to pieces. Now's our chance to take back our land and freedom. Everyone ready?" he said in a moderately loud voice. The whole multitude murmured their assent. "Then….charge!"

At once, every one of them ran forward out of the trees and charged the broken form of the fortress of Vortigern. The attack wasn't the most skillful or the best thought out, but it accomplished surprise and that was what really mattered.

…

…

"No," Merlin breathed out, looking back at Vortigern with a little frown on his face. "You will."

"What?" Vortigern shouted in disgust. "You _dare_ to threaten me? I am a King!"

The entry doors burst open and two knights ran in. "My lord!" the younger one shouted. "The citizens! They're attacking the castle!"

"What?" Vortigern shouted again, this time in shock. His head snapped to Merlin, who had the tiniest smirk on his face, and glared. "You," he spat. Vortigern ripped his sword from its sheath and practically ran down the stairs to Merlin's level. "You did this!"

Vortigern pulled back with his sword, preparing to strike. Merlin's eyes flashed golden and the ropes binding him shredded to pieces. He pushed himself backwards away from the sword as it came forward, but the blade caught his left arm as he fell and Merlin cried out in pain.

"Sire!" the older knight called before the king could stab Merlin straight through where he lay on the ground.

"_What_?" Vortigern demanded hotly.

"What should we do about the revolt?" he asked, trembling before his king wielding a weapon.

Vortigern sighed heavily and re-sheathed his sword. "Take the knights and attack back, obviously. Must I do everything myself?" The two knights shook their heads and ran back out of the room to do as they'd been told. Vortigern waved the two thugs over and gestured to Merlin. "Take him to a cell. I'll deal with him later," he spat.

Merlin couldn't think beyond the pain in his arm enough to fight back when they grabbed him, so the next thing he knew he was being tossed in a cell the likes of which Camelot would never see. It was absolutely filthy! He waited until the door was locked and the men had walked away before turning his attention to the bleeding cut on his arm.

Merlin quickly tore the bottom of his shirt off and tied it above the cut to lessen the bleeding, then tore more off and made a makeshift bandage to cover the wound, tight and good. Once he was satisfied with the bandaging, Merlin took the top tie off and winced at the increased blood flow through his arm. He wished he could remember one of the dozens of healing spells in his book, but right now he was drawing a complete blank!

"_Merlin_," the red dragon called.

Merlin gasped and held his head. The voice was piercing into his mind like a sharp dagger. "What?"

"_What's going on up there?_"

"A bunch of Cymry's peasants are revolting and attacking the castle. Everyone's busy defending the….wait." He released his head and ran to the door, wrapping his hands around the bars and peering each direction. There was no one there. "I can release you now. The castle's standing on its last foundations anyway, so no one would think anything of it if the whole place just collapsed in the battle. And everyone's outside fighting, so no one would get hurt. Are you ready?"

"_We were born ready_."

Merlin grinned, releasing the bars but leaving a bloody handprint behind. He paused. "What are your names?" he asked.

"_Saxones_," the girl responded.

"_Wales_," the boy answered.

"Saxones, Wales….Say hello to Kilgarrah for me," Merlin said softly before his eyes shone gold.

…

…

Arthur, Urien, Morgana, and Gwen all jumped when an explosion rocked the ground, and their horses stopped walking.

"What was that?" Gwen asked, looking around.

"There!" Sir Urien pointed above the trees, where smoke was rising into the sky. "Smoke."

"Vortigern's fortress," Arthur breathed out, spurring his horse into a gallop.

Morgana took off next, and Urien waited until Gwen had gone before him to begin as well. They continued on for several minutes simply running at full speed in the direction of the smoke. Then suddenly the trees cleared and before them, spread as far as they could see, was the ruins of Vortigern's castle fortress.

"Oh my….," Gwen let out, her hand coming up to cover her mouth.

The castle was on fire, remnants of a tower burning to ashes. Most of it was simply fallen to pieces, having crashed in upon itself, probably after the tower exploded. But the castle wasn't what got to Gwen. It was the bodies. Probably two hundred peasants and soldiers lay strewn across the ground around the ruins. By the state of the bodies, they hadn't been killed by the explosion, but in some vicious battle, though some of them were somewhat injured from the collapse of the castle. The one nearest the tower was actually on fire himself. Morgana had to close her eyes against it all.

"Vortigern's castle is destroyed," Arthur said simply. His face hardened and he turned to his traveling companions. "Sir Urien. Protect Guinevere with your life. Morgana, come with me," he ordered sternly, dismounting his horse. "When we return…we'll begin burying the dead."

Arthur and Morgana walked by body after body, checking each one as they passed. None of them were Merlin. After the preliminary search came up with nothing, Arthur looked to the remains of the castle.

"Maybe he was inside when it collapsed?"

Morgana shook her head. "No. I could see daylight in my vision of him," she explained. "He isn't in the castle."

"Then he must be here, but we can't find him," Arthur concluded, looking around. "Were there any bodies we missed?"

Morgana too looked around once before shrugging. "I don't know. There could be dozens of bodies in the woods that we just can't see…." After a moment's pause, she said, "Let's head back. We'll bury those we've found and check each one again as we go. We'll find him, Arthur," she promised.

Arthur wished he could believe that, but the expanse of area the bodies could be strewn across was large and the possibility that they would simply pass him by in the rubble was all too likely.

…

…

It was Gwen who found him.

It was nearing sunset and Arthur and Sir Urien were burying probably their fiftieth body while Gwen and Morgana did their best to gather the dead and search for the wounded. There weren't many wounded still in the area. Gwen had walked about six feet into the woods to search when she came across Merlin, leaning haphazardly against a tree.

"Arthur! Morgana!" she screamed. "I found him!"

All three others immediately dropped what they were doing and ran toward the sound of Gwen's voice. She was kneeling next to Merlin's body, checking his pulse, and smiled up at them when they drew near.

"He's alive," she told them, her eyes already filling with tears.

He may have been alive, but he wasn't in the best of conditions. There was a large bruise on his left cheek and blood and soot swept across his right cheek. The silken clothes he wore were tattered, partially burnt at the edges, and looked to have been ripped to pieces in places: such as the sleeves, which were now non-existent, and the bottom hem. There were bruises on his arms, none as extensive as the one on his face but there all the same. His left arm was bandaged with the scraps from his tunic, but the blue fabric was now deep red with the blood that had been absorbed and was now soaking clean through and down his arm.

"What's that?" Morgana asked, motioning to Merlin's wound.

Arthur knelt down by Merlin's left side and examined the cloth there. "Fetch the horses and get me the medical kit. We have to take care of the wound quickly." Sir Urien hurried off to do as ordered. "It looks like maybe he was trying to escape the battle but passed out due to the state of his arm. I'll do what I can, but Gaius should have a look at it himself, and soon. We'll camp here tonight, and travel back to Camelot at first light."

…

…

When Merlin blinked his eyes open, it was to the first glimpse of day breaking over the horizon. It passed through the leaves of the trees and created delicate patterns across his face. He tried to block it out with his right hand, but that caused him to roll on his left arm a bit and he hissed in pain. He sat up and grabbed his upper arm just beneath the wound and then stopped and looked around in confusion.

Gwen was sleeping right next to him on his right side. On his left side was a burnt out fire. A mostly unfamiliar man slept on the other side of the fire, but the armor nearby suggested he was a knight of Camelot. Morgana slept with her feet near Merlin's head and her head by the knight.

When had they gotten here?

"Ah," a very familiar voice let out just before Arthur walked into Merlin's line of sight. "You're still alive, then?" he asked easily, fiddling idly with the stick in his hands.

"I guess," Merlin answered, a smile threatening to crawl on his face at the sight of his King. He was covered in dirt from digging graves and looked like he had been awake for at least a few hours, probably on guard duty.

Arthur motioned to his left absently. "There was a terrible fight just over there, at Vortigern's castle. The whole place just…fell down," he continued as if it didn't matter. "We were actually heading to the beach for a bit of off time until we felt the tremors," he lied. Merlin caught it easily but kept his mouth shut for once. "You look like you got caught in the battle a bit," Arthur noted, motioning to Merlin's arm. "I'm amazed you weren't killed, what with your penchant for causing trouble."

Merlin let the smile overtake his face. "No. It'll take a lot more than that to kill me."

Arthur grinned. "I hope so, Merlin." For a long moment there was merely silence where they stared at each other and then, "Because in your absence my chambers have fallen apart. Really. They are absolutely _terrible_," he covered with a grimace.

Merlin smiled softly. Same old Arthur. Perfect.

…

…

**Next Time: The Legend Begins**

_Morgause sends an unstoppable enemy to Camelot; a beast no mortal weapon can kill. Morgana foresees a weapon that can bring victory to Arthur in the coming battle and Merlin dreams of someone he once loved and lost that may be more than an idle vision. What do the dreams mean? Is it now? Is now the time for Merlin's secret to be revealed?_

…

…

Translations:

Swebban = to put to sleep

Yppan = reveal, display

Háligreft = veil

Bærnan = to expose to the action of heat, cause to burn, kindle, light, set on fire

…

…

First off: Good job Merl7! You got it!

So the next one is the last one. The next one is the one I've been waiting to write because it includes the interesting bit about Excalibur that I learned whilst doing random Arthurian research. I hope you've liked this so far and that you stick around for the finale.

Merlin will Return.


	14. The Legend Begins

**The Legend Begins**

_Morgause sends an unstoppable enemy to Camelot; a beast no mortal weapon can kill. Morgana foresees a weapon that can bring victory to Arthur in the coming battle and Merlin dreams of someone he once loved and lost that may be more than an idle vision. What do the dreams mean? Is it now? Is now the time for Merlin's secret to be revealed?_

…

…

A/N: The final installment in my The Sword in the Stone series. This is what it all leads up to. This is what I read about and what inspired me to write everything else. This is kinda what I was hoping they'd do in the series. Sadly, they got it all backwards. . Tomato, tomahto, though, right? Note: I wrote this LONG before the season 3 finale aired.

…

…

Morgana looked up from her vanity at a soft pecking noise at her window. There was a small white bird perched just outside, tapping on the window. She narrowed her eyes, worry showing on her face, but ignored the bird until it flew away. Once it had stopped pecking and left, Morgana held her face in her hands and shivered.

It was only a matter of time until _she_ found out….

…

…

That night, Morgause stood in the forest clearing where she and Morgana used to meet all the time. On her face sat a deep and pronounced frown. It had been weeks now since Morgana had responded to her calls. Morgana had not said, written, or in any other way given any word to Morgause since the day she had trapped Arthur and Merlin in her Vale.

Her sister had abandoned her.

And tonight was the last night. This was the last chance Morgause would give them; any of them. If things had been personal before, they were _definitely_ personal now.

…

…

Clang! Clung clang!

The knight facing off against Arthur stumbled back three steps and slipped in the mud of the training field, falling on his backside shortly afterward. Arthur sighed.

"Come on, Pellinore, you're not even trying," he complained, flipping his destiny sword around his wrist in a bored fashion. "Attack me like you mean it."

Sir Pellinore stood to his feet and brushed himself off a bit. He was a head taller than Arthur with a full black beard and bushy eyebrows, but had a bald spot on his head that showed his age. He was one of Arthur's oldest knights, though he was barely thirty-five. Still, he had already begun to lose his hair. Arthur had fought him countless times since his youth, but for some time now Pellinore had not been giving his all. It reminded Arthur of the jousting tournament with Leon and made him angry.

There was an obnoxiously loud clap of thunder in the distance that made many of the knights jump in surprise. Arthur was about to scold them for their cowardice when a shaken looking page boy bulleted past the fields, heading for the castle. His jeering died in his throat. "Practice among yourselves," he ordered sternly before sheathing his sword and heading off across the field.

Merlin blinked at him a few times in confusion before jumping up and hurrying after his master. They got to the throne room just as the page caught his breath and began to tell Uther what had happened.

"South…near the Canyon of Balin," he began, and Arthur and Merlin's ears perked. "A woman cast a spell on a snake…It grew larger than a house and sprouted wings, my lord. I watched it move through the trees when it left. They all died when it breathed on them!" The page shuddered. "The woman caught me staring and she told me to come back here and warn you of the beast's arrival. She said in three days, her basilisk would descend upon the gates of Camelot….and that if we didn't want to all die….Prince Arthur must face and defeat it….." He turned to look at Arthur behind him as he spoke, but quickly turned back to look in Uther's direction. "She said if he failed that the basilisk would destroy the castle and the kingdom."

Uther frowned for a long while, and then stood from his throne. "Fetch Gaius," he said to Merlin, who nodded and scurried from the room. Uther dismissed the page with a nod and a wave and the boy ran like his life still depended on it.

"I believe it to be the witch, Morgause," Arthur said. Uther turned his head from where he'd last seen the page to look into Arthur's eyes. "She wants to kill you, but she wants me destroyed in the process. She's tried this before, father."

"Yes," Uther agreed, his lips pulled in a thin line. "But never before with a beast such as this." He shook his head. "You cannot fight it. I forbid it."

"What?" Arthur gasp-shouted, taking a step forward. "But if I don't it'll destroy the kingdom! It's already doing that now on its way here!"

Uther shook his head again and sat back down in his throne. "I don't care, Arthur," he stated coldly. "You are the future king of Camelot, of _Albion_, and I will not let you throw your life away to some beast because one _sorcerer_ has a vendetta against me."

Arthur stared his father down determinedly, keeping eye contact. "And if I don't fight it, the beast will attack this city and all the lands around us. It will kill everyone it finds. If the kingdom is destroyed, then what am I king of, father?"

Uther glared. "You will be king of all that is left," he said like it was obvious, but in a dark tone of voice.

Arthur gaped at his father until Gaius and Merlin returned, when he turned his attention to the elderly physician instead. "Gaius," he greeted in a rush. "How do you kill a basilisk?"

Uther glared again, at Arthur for continuing his stupid venture against the beast. Gaius frowned. "A basilisk is a creature of magic. The sorcerer who made it must be quite powerful. Basilisk are typically born from magic, not created," he explained, sounding a bit baffled. "To kill a basilisk is quite the feat. You can turn it to stone by making it see its own reflection, but the stone will crumble and the dust it creates is lethal to any who inhale it. I wouldn't think it wise to try this anyhow, if Merlin's told me its size correctly."

"Larger than a house," Arthur added helpfully.

Gaius nodded, clasping his hands in front of himself. "Yes. Basilisk are not usually that big. They're born from chicken's eggs, and most are the size of large snakes or a little bigger. This sorcerer must have enlarged the beast to make it harder to kill. Trying to get a mirror at eye level with this basilisk would be more dangerous than helpful."

"Then how do you kill it?" Uther asked. "Without Arthur fighting it," he clarified. Arthur and Uther shared a glare.

Gaius looked between the two of them, not sure what was going on or if he should hold his tongue. "Well," he began slowly. "It was created by strong magic, sire….I'm not sure how you would kill it. Normal weapons don't work on a basilisk."

Uther frowned deeply, but Arthur pulled his sword from its sheath with a grin. "So this could do it," he stated simply. Gaius shrugged and Arthur gave a half sigh. "I pulled this sword from a stone. It's a sword that validates my destiny. It's saved me from magic before," he revealed. "It should be able to kill a basilisk, no matter the size of the beast."

"Arthur," Uther disagreed.

Arthur glared. "It's the only way."

…

…

A great snake slithered across the land, leaving a thick line of death in its wake. It hissed angrily at the city's walls. Arthur wore full armor and held his shield up, the symbol of the Pendragon line showing proudly in the sun. People were running and screaming as the winged snake let out a gruesome roar of a sound. Arthur ran forward. People lay dead in the streets. Merlin was ankle deep in the water. The sword lay broken on the ground.

"Arthur!"

Arthur pierced the snake through with his sword. Merlin knelt before Arthur's feet. Arthur lay dying on the ground. Gold.

"Until the day I die."

A loud crack of thunder woke Morgana with a gasp. Sweat clung to her skin and her breathing was ragged. She flicked her eyes around the room, looking for the beast in her nightmare, but found nothing. When she was breathing normally again, Morgana slid from her bed and hurried to the window. In the far distance, at the edge of her sight just visible through the pouring rain, Morgana could see something moving across the countryside: The basilisk.

"It's already so close," she breathed out. Her breath created condensation on the window. She took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. She had to tell Arthur-

The door opened and Morgana gasped, flipping to face the new presence. Gwen stopped three steps inside with wide eyes. In her arms was another blanket.

"Gwen," Morgana gasped out in surprise.

"I…thought you might be cold," Gwen explained, looking unsure of herself. "It's really pouring outside and I didn't want you to suffer through it…."

Morgana pushed her fears to the back of her mind and slid a gentle and thankful smile onto her face. "Thank you, Gwen. You're too kind," she acquiesced. "I was having trouble sleeping tonight."

Gwen smiled in return. "I'm happy to help."

…

…

When Merlin arrived at Arthur's quarters the next morning, the prince wasn't there. Panic shot through him. Where was Arthur? He was about to run back out and search for the wayward prince when he heard the distinct sounds of a sword fight. Moving to the window, Merlin looked out and sighed in relief.

Arthur was fighting his knights.

'Must be practicing for the fight,' Merlin thought. His musing was cut short when the bedroom door opened and Morgana walked in.

She was wearing a fine dress, deep blue in color with flowing sleeves, and a light layer of makeup, but Merlin could tell she was distressed. Her eyes scanned the room, found only Merlin, and she frowned. "Where's Arthur?" she asked.

Merlin nodded toward the window. "Early morning practice with his knights," he explained, glad he'd learned that before she asked him. "Did you need something?"

Morgana shook her head once but stopped, her expression contemplative as she stared at Merlin's face. He tried to keep his expression amicable enough. The last thing he wanted was her feeling he was against her or something. After a long moment, Morgana shut and locked the door behind her and moved across the room to stand before Merlin.

"I had a vision last night in my dreams," she revealed openly. Merlin's eyes widened. "The basilisk will come, and Arthur will face it. I saw him fight it with a sword I've never seen before…..but it pierced the basilisk's skin like paper."

"A magic sword," Merlin let out and Morgana nodded. She looked worried and Merlin bent a bit to get to her height. "What's the matter?"

Morgana frowned and took a deep breath. "I saw Arthur kill the basilisk, Merlin….but I also saw it kill him." She shook her head and shut her eyes. "I know I've tried to kill him in the past and I know that was wrong…but ever since the Vale I've had dreams of a golden age of Camelot and I….I don't know if those are premonitions or just dreams, but I'm not ready to give them up," she whispered.

Merlin nodded and Morgana took the final step between them, wrapping her arms around Merlin in a hug she desperately needed. Merlin's eyes widened in shock. Morgana was hugging him… It took several long moments, but Merlin finally wrapped his arms around Morgana as well and held her tight.

"It'll be alright," he assured her quietly. "I won't let anything happen to him."

Morgana pulled back and nodded. "I know," she breathed. "You're a great sorcerer, Merlin. I know you'll do your best." Merlin's eyes widened again and he stumbled back from her in shock and fear. Morgana's eyebrows came together. "What?" she asked.

"You-," he managed, but couldn't get his mouth to form the right words.

Morgana's eyes widened a bit in understanding and then she frowned curiously. "You…you didn't know I knew?" she asked. Merlin shook his head, still looking like he was a heartbeat from the end of the world. "But…the way you were talking in the Vale….I thought you knew I knew."

"No," Merlin finally got out. "I had no idea. How did you find out?"

"The poison, four months ago?" she asked. Merlin nodded. "It targeted those with magic. You fell ill." Merlin looked aghast that of all the things to give him away, it was that. Morgana gave a little smile. "I'll admit, I was really surprised. I never would have pegged _you_ as being magic," she admitted. "But I'm sort of glad you are." She frowned at Merlin's chest. "Arthur will need you in this battle….more than he knows."

Merlin nodded. "I'll be there."

…

…

It began to rain about halfway through the day, but Arthur didn't stop training. Merlin made him a bath that night and made sure it was just the right temperature to ease all the prince's sore muscles. Arthur barely spoke a word throughout his bath or his dinner or getting ready for bed. Gaius provided a sleeping draught so he could get enough rest, no matter how loud the thunder got during the night. Arthur was out cold within ten seconds of drinking it and Gaius helped Merlin get him all set up in bed for the night.

Merlin slept in the antechamber, just in case.

…

…

"_Merlin."_

Merlin's eye flickered behind his eyelids.

The boat floated gently out to the center of the lake, flames licking at the plants and body inside. The mountains rose up in the background. Her hair was dark, with eyes to match, and she wore a deep purple dress that fit her beautifully. She stood in the water looking healthier than ever and smiled serenely.

"_I can help you now, Merlin,"_ she said, and it drifted on the air as light as a breeze.

The wind made ripples in the water across the pristine still surface of the lake. The girl with dark hair was gone.

"_It's time."_

Merlin's eyes flashed open, a hint of gold around the blue irises, and he gasped. Outside he could hear the light drizzle of rain water as it slid from the castle roof. He sat up slowly and laid his arms across his knees.

It couldn't be….could it? She couldn't possibly…..Time for what? Help him how?

A tear slid from his right eye and he shut his eyes just as the first rays of light slipped through his window.

…

…

The sky was clear with no sign of rain and Arthur had every knight in his service standing on the practice fields just waiting for their turn to fight him. Sweat was pouring down Arthur's face as he finally knocked Sir Pelleas to the ground.

"I yield," Pelleas called out, loud enough for the other knights to hear.

The other knights clapped obligatorily. They all knew this training was for Arthur alone; so he would be at his best when he faced the basilisk in two days.

Arthur pulled his sword back and helped Pelleas to stand. Once the other knight was on his feet, Arthur clapped him on the shoulder and nodded his thanks before turning to the knights he hadn't yet fought today. He'd already finished beating five of his knights and he looked exhausted, but instead of taking a break he pointed his sword at one of his knights.

"Pellinore," he decided.

Pellinore's eyes widened a bit. He'd just fought Arthur yesterday! But Arthur had other ideas: Pellinore had taken it easy on him yesterday so they would fight again. Instead of asking questions, Pellinore grabbed his sword and moved forward.

Merlin ran up as Pellinore was walking over and handed Arthur a cup of water. Arthur almost ignored it, but Merlin wasn't moving until he drank the water, so he took three gulps and shoved the cup back into Merlin's hands. Merlin hurried out of the way. Arthur got into battle stance and Pellinore followed suit.

For a breath of a moment, they stayed still and simply stared each other down, and then Arthur jumped forward. He jabbed at Pellinore's stomach but Pellinore threw his sword into the attack and knocked it wide to the right. Before Arthur could right himself, Pellinore pulled his sword back across toward Arthur's right side. Arthur took three steps back but Pellinore didn't let up, instead moving forward and swinging high near the left side of Arthur's head. Arthur ducked and swung out at Pellinore's right leg. Pellinore stepped back quickly but Arthur was right with him, slashing at his left shoulder this time.

Pellinore brought his sword up and caught Arthur's attack in a strong parry. Arthur pressed forward, Pellinore pressed back, and for one excruciating moment they were locked in a stalemate, and then Arthur's left leg faltered and Pellinore pushed him back. Arthur stumbled for a heartbeat but regained his footing in the damp grass and lunged forward. Pellinore lifted his sword to block it but Arthur shoved it away and ran his shoulder into Pellinore's chest. Pellinore backed up a step and lifted his sword just as Arthur swung at his own sword at Pellinore's chest.

Their swords caught with sparks and tension. Arthur shifted so their swords came up between them instead of being stuck near their navels. Pellinore pushed forward and Arthur held his ground, not giving an inch. Arthur narrowed his eyes at the sound of metal scrapping metal just before he heard the snap. His eyes flashed to where their swords met in the air and widened as he watched the line creep across his sword. Then, all at once, his sword let out a sad sounding metallic whine and gave in completely; the sword snapping completely in half. Arthur jumped backwards before Pellinore's sword could catch him in the chest and then stopped and stared at the half of a sword lying at Pellinore's feet.

Everyone gathered had wide eyes, disbelief and shock coating their expressions. Arthur turned his attention to the half of the sword still in his hands. His sword, the sword he'd pulled from the stone, was broken. Pellinore dropped his sword into the wet grass and mud and everyone turned their attention to him. He looked absolutely devastated as he lowered himself to his knees.

"My lord…," he forced out. "I….broke the sword of your destiny….I will accept full responsibility for this transgression and accept any punishment you will give." He lowered his head and everyone held their breaths for Arthur's decision.

Arthur looked between the two broken pieces of his sword and Pellinore's bowed head several times and forced himself to keep breathing. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath, his hand clenching around the sword in his hands. After a moment, Arthur opened his eyes and walked from the fields without a word. Merlin watched until Arthur was almost out of sight, and then he ran across the field and grabbed the broken piece of the sword still lying on the ground. He cast Pellinore a sympathetic look before running after the prince.

…

…

"Arthur," Merlin gasped out as he rushed into Arthur's chambers.

Arthur was leaning heavily on his fists on his table, his head lowered and his eyes closed. He didn't even react to Merlin bursting in without knocking. Merlin shut the door gently behind himself and walked over to the table.

"Arthur….," he breathed. He slowly laid the broken piece of sword on the table next to the part still connected to the hilt and Arthur let out a heavy breath.

"What do I do now, Merlin?" he asked, his shoulders sagging. "A basilisk cannot be killed by a normal sword and I've just lost my only magic sword….my only chance to save my people…."

And that's when it hit him. Merlin tilted his head, remembering his dream. "It's time," he muttered under his breath.

"What?" Arthur asked, sounding tired.

Merlin lifted his head upright again and wiped the dazed look from his face, now looking completely serious. He took a deep breath. "You haven't lost your only weapon," he announced softly but assuredly. Arthur lifted his head, curious. Merlin nodded once the prince's eyes were on him. "I know where there's a weapon that can kill the basilisk. It can defeat any foe, no matter what it is."

Arthur's face lit with a hint of hope and he stood straight again. "Where, Merlin? Where is it? What is it?"

Merlin opened his mouth to answer, but the door burst open and Uther walked in. He saw Merlin standing there and frowned. "Leave us."

Merlin shut his mouth and nodded before leaving. Arthur watched him go in distress. "Merlin-" he cut himself off, glancing at his father. Merlin stopped at the door and faced him, his eyes flickering to Uther before finally coming to rest on the prince. "I want you back in here as soon as possible," he ordered, his gaze intense.

Merlin nodded definitively before leaving the room and shutting the door. Uther kept his gaze on Arthur until then, but then he looked down at the broken sword. "So the sword is broken."

Arthur's eyes snapped back down to the table. "Yes. I must have pushed it too hard….," he admitted quietly, but his mind was stuck on what Merlin had said. How could he have another weapon?

"So the witch lied."

Arthur's head shot up. "What?" he asked incredulously.

"This sword was meant to be the sword that proved you were the king of Albion; the sword that helped you rule. Now that sword is broken." Uther touched the hilt of the sword lightly. "How can you trust the prophesy of a liar?" he asked acidic-ly.

Arthur frowned and stood tall. "No. This sword is merely a symbol. She said that herself. The sword that I am to rule with is another sword entirely, a sword I am still waiting to….receive," he trailed off, his mouth forming an 'oh.'

Did Merlin know where his sword was? Did Merlin know where his _sorcerer_ was?

…

…

An hour later, Merlin showed up in Arthur's chambers with a determined look on his face. The sun was beginning to set outside and Arthur looked up from his window when Merlin walked in. He sighed dramatically.

"Finally," he said, pushing away from the window. "What took you so long?" Now that he was thinking about it, Arthur couldn't wait to have Merlin explain himself.

"I was preparing the horses," Merlin explained. Arthur narrowed his eyes in confusion and Merlin shrugged. "You'll need a weapon against the basilisk, and it's not here in Camelot. I figured we could leave tonight so you're father won't stop you."

Arthur smiled. These were the moments he looked forward to with Merlin: the ones where he showed amazing ingenuity. "Nice going, Merlin," he complimented.

Merlin shrugged. "We need to get moving soon, though. It's a bit far."

…

…

Dawn was breaking through the trees and still Arthur sat silent as Merlin led him on horseback through the forest. They were a day's walk from castle. If Merlin didn't stop soon, they wouldn't make it back to the city in time to fight the basilisk.

"Merlin," he called impatiently. "How much farther?"

"Not much," Merlin said, barely loud enough for Arthur to catch. He stopped his horse suddenly, and Arthur nearly ran his own horse into Merlin's horse's butt because of it, and dismounted with a "This is it…"

Arthur hurriedly dismounted as well and followed Merlin on foot. He was about to complain about the distance again when the trees parted and Arthur found himself staring at a simple lake with mountains in the backdrop and lush forest on three sides. His jaw dropped at the beauty before him. Merlin stopped at the edge of the water and turned to Arthur with a sad smile.

"Shortly after I came to Camelot, I asked you not to think differently of me no matter what happened in a battle one day," he began softly, sagely. "A lot has happened since then and I'm not afraid anymore, Arthur."

Arthur frowned pensively. Merlin was acting strange; the kind of strange that came just before some moving and inspired speech or life altering moment...

Merlin looked at the lake. "I screwed up. I let your father use a weapon meant only for you...so I had to hide it where no mortal man could ever find it. Here." He nodded at the water. "But now you need it back."

Before Arthur could say anything, ask a question or make a snarky comment, Merlin began wading into the water. He stopped knee deep in the water and held his right hand out flat over the surface. A familiar presence came to him and Merlin smiled, trying not to cry.

"Freya...," he breathed out. He'd been right.

Arthur gasped when the water in the center of the lake began to bubble and ripple. The movement slowly made its way closer to Merlin and then suddenly Arthur saw a woman's hand protrude from the water holding a gleaming, perfect sword. The arm moved ever closer to Merlin and Arthur watched as a woman's head appeared from the water, and then her body followed. She lowered the sword from the air and held it ceremoniously in front of herself as she seemed to float closer to Merlin in the water. When they were half an arm's length away from each other, the woman stopped and Arthur took her in.

Her hair was long and dark brown, with eyes to match. She wore a deep purple dress that Arthur distinctly remembered seeing Morgana wear once and….was that the one Merlin was carrying that day in the hallway? She smiled shyly at Merlin and Merlin smiled sadly back.

"You saved me, Merlin," Freya whispered. "Now I repay you by protecting this remarkable sword you fashioned." Her voice was soft but carried to Arthur standing on the shore, and he raised his eyebrows. She spoke louder next time and addressed Arthur directly. "Arthur Pendragon." Merlin took a step to the side so they could see each other more directly. "One day, you will become a great king….," she smiled at him, "and a great king deserves a great weapon." She held the sword up a bit higher. "This is Excalibur: made by man's hand and blessed by dragon's fire. It will defeat any enemy it pierces, and as long as your will survives and you hold it in your hand, you cannot be defeated." She turned to Merlin and held out the sword to him.

Merlin accepted it. "Thank you," he breathed out, leaning forward a bit to plant a kiss on her cheek.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at that, but kept quiet. Merlin turned from the now blushing Freya and slowly made his way out of the water and to Arthur. He stopped just in front of Arthur and looked the sword over. It looked just as he remembered it. Merlin knelt before Arthur and Arthur looked taken aback by it.

"I present this sword to you, Arthur Pendragon, and hope that you will use it for the good of your people and that of all Albion….and I pledge my loyalty to you until the end of my days. All my skills are yours to use as you wish, forever. No matter what the future may hold, I will stand by your side evermore, for all eternity….for as long as you will have me."

He then held the sword up above his bowed head. Arthur reached out slowly and grasped the handle, lifting the sword and feeling its weight in his hand. Merlin slipped backwards and then stood, keeping his head bowed slightly as he watched Arthur take stock in the sword. Arthur spun it experimentally and let out an awed breath.

"It's absolutely perfect….," he murmured, but both Merlin and Freya caught. Arthur looked up at Merlin, who had a small pleased smile on his face, and his pupils got smaller. "This is the sword Tethella told me about….," he began softly. "If this is _that_ sword…..then Merlin-"

"You must hurry," Freya interrupted him. Merlin and Arthur turned to face her and saw the worry on her features. "Your foe will not wait for you and it is a long way to Camelot. You will need every moment."

Merlin rushed back into the water and wrapped his arms around her shoulders in a desperate hug. "I wish things could be different," he whispered to her, and Arthur barely caught it. "I wish-"

Freya pulled back and placed a finger on his lips. "You have done more than enough for me, Merlin. I was dying inside when you rescued me, and you saved my soul. I'm happy to help you….in whatever way I can," she insisted before nodding toward the shore. "Now go. Camelot needs you."

Merlin nodded jerkily and waded back to the shore. He nodded again, to Arthur this time, and they both headed for their horses at a brisk walk. There would be much to talk about later, but for now they had a city to save. Merlin glanced back one last time before the trees blocked his sight, but Freya was gone from the lake. The wind blew across the still surface of the water and Merlin turned away from the sight before he started to cry.

…

…

As soon as they neared Camelot, Merlin knew the basilisk had arrived. The feeling of magic, evil magic, was prevalent in the air and the smell of something nasty was carried toward them on the wind. They came over the crest of the hill and saw the great beast lurking near the outer wall of the city. The land around it was stained black from its poison and Merlin felt sad, knowing that land would take years to recover…if it ever did.

Arthur spurred his horse onward and they hurried into the city and to the castle. "The armory, Merlin," Arthur ordered before they had even stopped their horses.

As Merlin was belting and fastening Arthur's armor five minutes later, Uther entered the armory with a sour look on his face. "Why are you putting on his armor?" he asked Merlin angrily before facing Arthur and looking him in the eyes. "You have no weapon. You're not fighting."

Arthur frowned. "I have a weapon," he stated stiffly, and proceeded to pull Excalibur from where it sat on the table. Merlin frowned when that moved Arthur's chest piece and he had to readjust it once Arthur was standing straight again. "This."

Uther's eyes widened as he took in the sword and his eyes shot to Merlin. Merlin put on his best innocent look and avoided Uther's gaze by walking around to Arthur's other side, thus hiding behind Arthur from his father. Uther looked back up to Arthur. "And you believe this sword will kill the basilisk?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

Arthur nodded, his eyes bright. "I know it will." And there was no arguing with him.

…

…

When Arthur and Merlin rode out to face the basilisk, the beast hissed and turned its attention from the walls to Arthur on his horse. They stopped a good distance away and Arthur dismounted from his horse before handing Merlin the reins. He pat his horse on the side comfortingly and stared at the great winged snake as he said, "Merlin."

"Hm?"

"If I should live," he began, and paused long enough for Merlin to consider smacking him for doubting himself, "we'll have a long talk about what happened at that lake." He turned and locked eyes with Merlin.

Merlin held his gaze for a solid second before nodding in agreement. "Of course, sire."

"Go," Arthur ordered, slapping his gloved hand against the hindquarters of Merlin's horse to make it take off. He waited until Merlin was nearly to the main gate of the city before turning and walking the remaining distance between himself and the basilisk.

The great snake was as tall as a man standing on the roof of a house, and Arthur guessed it would be as long as two of his bedchambers if it laid out flat. It was blue grey in color, but with shades of brown scattered around its body. The wings that were protruding from its back were beautiful, like that of an eagle or a hawk, and matched the body of the snake for color, but they were a bit too small to enable flight for such a large creature. In short: it was three times Arthur's size and ridiculously venomous so he'd better hope he was faster than it was or he'd never even land a hit.

"As long as my will survives," he breathed out as he gripped Excalibur by the hilt in an effort to comfort himself. Saying you would fight a giant poisonous snake and actually standing next to the thing and readying to fight it are two totally different things.

All at once the basilisk shot forward, mouth open and fangs dripping, toward Arthur. Arthur's eyes widened and he leapt to the left and out of the way. The basilisk's fangs sunk into the ground where Arthur used to be standing and the grass around it died immediately. Arthur sank his sword into the flesh of the basilisk's neck not two feet in front of him and the beast let out a strange screech of pain, ripping its teeth from the earth and making a blind grab for Arthur.

Arthur fell to the ground and watched in horror as the basilisk's fangs passed right over him. That was too close. The basilisk flapped its wings and turned before it had finished its last attack to make another attack. Arthur rolled out of the way and jumped up into a defensive stance, sword at the ready. The basilisk turned and glared at him with red eyes, but Arthur was looking at the cut he'd made earlier. The green blood oozing from the wound was killing the grass and plants just as much as the fangs were. Was a basilisk made of pure poison?

There was a hiss and Arthur's head snapped up just as the basilisk shot forward again. He stepped to the side and lifted Excalibur into the air. It passed the basilisk's snakish lips and caught one of the upper fangs right at the base of the tooth; slicing right through with no problems. Arthur took several steps forward, down the basilisk's body, and cut through the base of the basilisk's left wing as well in one fluid motion. The basilisk fell to the ground, writhing in pain, and Arthur took the opportunity to catch his breath.

Where do you strike a snake to end its life? Cutting off its head seemed the best idea; and the safest. Arthur took a step up the wriggling body's left side and raised his sword above where the head ended. Before he could land the blow, the basilisk turned and grabbed Arthur's left arm in a bone crushing grip. Arthur screamed in pain, releasing Excalibur with his left hand and bringing the sword down with his right, right into the basilisk's eye. It released him with a yell of its own and Arthur stumbled back from it, clutching his left arm close to his body with his right arm. He looked down at it and noticed a sickening amount of blood pouring from the wound along with the basilisk's poison coating his armor and, no doubt, his entire arm. There was a hole in his armor and his arm where the fang had pierced Arthur's arm and Arthur forced himself to look away before he got sick.

Basilisk's were lethally poisonous. Gaius hadn't mentioned a cure and even if there was one, there'd be no time to make it. This was it. Forget being king of Camelot. Forget being king of Albion. Forget being king of anything. He would never marry, or have kids, or confront Merlin about the sword, or anything. Destiny was over. His life was over. He was dying.

Arthur yelled at the ground, his eyes shut, angry at the turn things had taken. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen! He opened his eyes in a glare at the basilisk before him and took the two steps it had squirmed away. Jumping up onto it's back, Arthur lifted Excalibur with his right hand and, just as he'd done when he first pulled the sword from the stone and he was angry with his father, Arthur jammed Excalibur down into the basilisk's head above its eyes, right through the brain. The basilisk jerked once and then stilled altogether.

Arthur took several deep breaths, but he couldn't stop the dizzy feeling overtaking him. He gave one tug at Excalibur, but he'd lost a lot of his strength and couldn't pull it out of the basilisk's head with only his right arm. He heard the sound of hoof beats and looked up to see Merlin racing over on horseback. "Merlin," he breathed out, releasing Excalibur. He'd have to get it later….if he had a later.

Suddenly all of Arthur's strength left him and he tumbled down the side of the basilisk and to the ground. Merlin jumped off his horse and ran to Arthur. He caught side of the sickly green blood pooling around the body and killing whatever it touched and grabbed Arthur by the shoulders, hefting him back towards the horse and away from the blood. Arthur let out a short cry of pain as the pulling jostled his wound.

"Merlin," he croaked out. "Merlin."

Merlin laid him down and knelt next to him, looking for wounds. The only one he found was the one in his arm and Merlin's eyes widened. "You've been bitten," he gasped out, his eyes filling with unshed tears, making them look brighter.

Arthur wanted to scold Merlin for the tears. He'd told Merlin that no man was worth his tears. He wanted to grin and tease him about being such a _girl_. He wanted to ask about the sword and the rain and the dragon and the barghest and tree limbs and just _everything_, but all that came out was another wheezing "Merlin…."

Merlin shook his head, shutting his eyes. "No. This isn't your destiny. You won't die here."

Arthur managed a weak heave of a laugh. His vision was already going dark and he couldn't feel his body at all. Merlin's voice sounded far away, like something from a dream. He wondered what Morgana would do after he died. Would she kill Uther? Would Merlin let her? And what about Gwen? She'd already lost so much in her short life….Would she cry for him like he knew Merlin would? How long would it take for her to move on and find new love?

From what sounded like a great distance, Arthur heard strange words….but they sounded familiar, like he'd heard something similar before…. "Ábregdan átorcyn innan. Lácnian se ceorl. Ielden déaþ. _Please_-"

Arthur's vision cleared and he could see the sky above him, the setting of the sun and the clouds being blown south by the wind. His head felt clear and he could breathe normally again. Arthur narrowed his eyes at the sky when he noticed something odd: there was a strange glow coming from….Arthur turned his head so he could see where Merlin sat by his wounded left arm and his eyes widened. Merlin's hands were glowing blue! Arthur looked at Merlin's face and saw his eyes were like Morgana's when she used magic in his chambers: a bright golden color instead of their normal clear blue.

The gold faded and Arthur saw Merlin's chest heave with the effort of the spell. Merlin took a deep breath, kept his hands over the still bleeding wound and half-hissed out, "Remian bánbryce ond flæsc." His eyes flared golden again and Arthur watched as the blood flow stopped and the muscle and skin of his arm repaired itself. The armor still held the large hole from the fang, but his skin showed no sign of the fight at all. Arthur gasped and Merlin's eyes widened in shock and fear. "Arthur!" he practically shouted. Arthur winced and Merlin winced along with him. "Sorry," he whispered.

"Magic," Arthur said, still laying on the ground. "This proves it!" He pushed himself up and was only mildly surprised when he didn't feel any pain from any part of his body at the action. Merlin fell back a bit to give him some space and held himself up on his hands behind him. Arthur got right up in his personal space. "You gave me Excalibur, a magic sword that can kill any enemy. You just used magic to heal me. You're a sorcerer!"

Merlin gulped and kept quiet, but nodded. He'd decided to tell Arthur the truth the moment his other sword broke. He wasn't going to back down now. "Yes," he managed after a long moment.

"You're _my_ sorcerer," Arthur stated like he was laying claim to a prized horse. "_You're_ my sorcerer." He laughed almost bitingly. "_My_ sorcerer." He laughed again. "_You're_ my sorcerer. Merlin! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

Merlin glared at him. "What? What is so funny?"

"Five years," Arthur snickered out, sitting back in his own space and out of Merlin's breathing room. He covered his eyes with his hands. "Five years and I've barely even _considered_- I mean, sure there were moments but-….A sorcerer….," he breathed out in the end, all laughter gone. He lowered his hand and took in Merlin's concerned expression. "There's something about you, Merlin," Arthur said quietly, his eyes intense but not menacing. "I will never understand you no matter how long I know you."

Merlin gave a hesitant smile. "Well, you've got forever so….you might learn eventually."

Arthur just stared at Merlin for a long while without a word. Merlin could tell from his expression that Arthur was trying to make sense of everything, was trying to adjust to the new information he'd been given, was trying to accept Merlin for who and what he was. After what felt like forever, when the sun was fully set and they could hear the gates opening to release some knights to scout the battlefield, Arthur shut his eyes and let out an easy sigh.

"Yes….I suppose I do."

Fin.

…

…

And that's it. The final installment in my The Sword in the Stone series. I hope you all enjoyed it and thank you for reading all the way to the end.

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This is the beast they fought this chapter: http : / image. gameshot. net : 8080/ gameshot /preview/ 2001_ 11/ narsillion/ couatl. jpg

I know it says Couatl, but another version of the basilisk besides the typical giant snake, or the mutated chicken, is a large winged snake…So there you go. A giant winged snake.

...

_Translations:_

Ábregdan átorcyn innan. Lácnian se ceorl. Ielden déaþ. = Wrench(pull) poison from within. Heal the noble man (hero). Delay death.

Remian bánbryce ond flæsc. = Mend fractured bone and flesh.

Again, all translations come from two online Old English translators/dictionaries: www. oldenglishtranslator .co .uk and home. comcast .net/~modean52/oeme_ dictionaries. htm

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There will not be a sequel unless I get super inspired, but I'm currently writing a series of 'deleted scenes' from throughout the story. I don't know if I'll post those here, but I'll definitely post them on livejournal. My name on there is Satsuki_Tears(Jessica Dawn). I'll put up a link on the profile so you can find it easier if you want to (probably after I get home from class tomorrow). Thank you all so very very very much for being such awesome reviewers and loyal readers! I loved writing The Sword in the Stone and I adored getting your reviews. I'm sad that it's over and I'll miss you guys!

Until my next story. (Unless you reading The Case of Merlin Emrys: Merlin's Story, and then I'll see you next chapter...which I AM writing! It's just taking me longer than most...)


	15. Deleted Scenes

As promised, I have written some Deleted Scenes. They're from all over the series, so if you're confused, just reference the number provided. The first number is what part it was 'deleted' from (1 – The Sword in the Stone, 7 – The Fisher King, etc. etc.) and the second number is just there to make it look like an episode and because I wrote two for part VII.

**Extra "Deleted" Scenes**

7x01 - Percival gets the Fisher King's message

7x02 – Arthur asks Merlin about his destiny

8x01 - Arthur overhears Uther and Merlin talking

11x01 – Morgana visits Merlin in the stocks

14x01 - On Uther knowing Merlin's magic

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**7x01 – Percival gets the Fisher King's message**

Morgana and Uther had been healed of their mysterious illness. Everyone was alright now. Merlin had been so preoccupied with the dangers of being too late that he'd totally forgotten about the Fisher King's request. It was nearly sunset when he remembered. Merlin hurried through the castle to Sir Percival's chambers and knocked on the door.

Percival's manservant opened the door. He was a boy a few years younger than Merlin, just about Percival's own age perhaps, with straw blond hair and dark, expressive eyes. He was a might better built than Merlin, though. David, Merlin thought was his name.

"Can I help you?" David asked.

Merlin nodded. "I have a message for Sir Percival," he stated like it was from the King himself.

David hesitated for only a moment before moving aside and opening the door wider, allowing Merlin entrance. Percival's chambers were not nearly as lavish as Arthur's, but they were definitely better than Merlin's. Percival was seated at a desk in the far corner near a tall window, his back to the door.

"Who is it, David?" he asked without lifting his head.

David glanced at Merlin curiously for a moment and Merlin smiled. "Merlin," he whispered.

David stood taller and faced his lord. "Merlin, my lord. He says he has a message for you."

Percival sat upright and turned around in his seat. His face brightened ever so slightly at seeing Merlin, but he raised an eyebrow curiously. "A message from Arthur?"

Merlin shook his head. "No. It's from a King." Both David and Percival stiffened. Merlin nodded his head a bit toward the window. "A King from far away. One that only lets certain people into his castle?" Merlin hinted.

Percival's eyebrows shot up and he turned his attention to David. "David," he addressed. David pulled his eyes from Merlin to his lord. "I think I'd like that bath now. Could you go get that ready?" David nodded and hurried from the room to fetch the tub and get some other servants to help him with the hot water. Percival stood from his desk as soon as his servant was gone. "The Fisher King gave you a message? How?"

"He gave it to me before we left his castle," Merlin revealed. "He meant it specially for you."

Percival looked stunned. He ran his hand through his hair almost nervously. "Well, what is it?"

Merlin stood tall like he'd seen the messengers from the outer villages do when talking to Uther. "He said not to worry so much. You've got a great destiny ahead of you," he recited dutifully. He grinned a bit. "Better probably than Gaheris or Breunor, I bet."

Percival's eyes seemed to be permanently stuck open and slightly wide. He simply stared at Merlin for several long moments. Then a sigh escaped his mouth, an awed sort of sound. "The Fisher King said I have a great destiny?" Merlin nodded, holding his smile. "Well that's…." A smile crept onto Percival's face. "That's sort of fantastic, isn't it?" His eyes dropped to the floor just beyond Merlin as he imagined what his destiny might be. Merlin stood still until Percival's eyes were on him again, and then he tilted his head questioningly. "Oh. Right," Percival let out, his smile dropping a bit. "You've probably got at lot to do for Arthur. You're dismissed."

Merlin nodded with a smile and turned to leave. He was almost to the door when-

"Oh, and Merlin?" Merlin turned to look directly into the eyes of the knight younger than him. Percival didn't seem to mind at all "Thank you."

Merlin nodded again before leaving the room.

…

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**7x02 - Arthur asks Merlin about his destiny**

Merlin poked at the fire in Arthur's small hearth, shifting the wood and causing a few sparks to spurt off of the main flames. He watched the flames for a few moments before nodding and setting the poker to the side of the fireplace. Merlin then moved to the window and pulled the curtains shut, blocking out the view of the stars. He did the same to Arthur's other window and then bustled about putting out the candles. Arthur's eyes followed him the whole way. Just as he began snuffing the candles, Arthur spoke.

"Merlin," he began. Merlin cast him a glance to show he was listening before putting out the first candle and continuing his work. "I've been meaning to ask you something, but it seems so much was going on that there just wasn't time."

Merlin paused, standing to the right of Arthur's bed with the candle snuffer held just next to the candle on the table there. "What did you want to ask?" he asked with a tilt of his head and curious look.

"The Fisher King," Arthur stated pointedly.

Merlin tensed. He'd been worried about this. The Fisher King had said quite a bit about Merlin back there in that castle. Had Arthur figured him out? "What about him?" Merlin questioned aloud, giving no sense that he was worried. He turned his attention back to the candles and continued snuffing like nothing was wrong.

Arthur watched him as he moved. "He said I'd done well by keeping you with me. That you had a great destiny of your own. Do you know what he meant?"

For a few moments, Merlin didn't answer. He snuffed out all but the last candle, its light aided only by that of the fireplace in illuminating Merlin's features. Arthur couldn't read them. "He asked me if I had a question."

"What?" Arthur asked.

Merlin shrugged, still staring at the last candle. "After you left the room, the Fisher King told me I got to ask a question too, since I'd past the tasks too."

Arthur pushed his old question aside for a new one; one Merlin would probably answer. "And what did you ask him?"

A smile stretched across Merlin's face, gentle and sure. He turned to look at Arthur. "I didn't ask him anything." The smile turned laughing at Arthur's dumbfounded look. "I didn't need to." Arthur's expression didn't change. Merlin shrugged. "You see, Arthur, there are a lot of things I don't know." Arthur scoffed but Merlin didn't react to it. "But I know everything I need to know. I know you'll be a great king someday, and I know that, no matter what, there isn't anywhere I'd rather be than here. I already knew my destiny, so I really had nothing to ask him."

With that, Merlin turned and snuffed the last candle. He set the little metal cup next to it and then turned and walked for the door. Arthur stared after him, flabbergasted. "_And_?" he said just as Merlin got to the door. Merlin raised an eyebrow at him and Arthur glared. "What's your destiny?"

"I thought that was obvious, sire," Merlin half teased. Arthur narrowed his eyes into a more fixated glare and Merlin laughed. He shrugged with a big grin. "You are my destiny." Arthur's eyebrows shot up, his eyes going wide, and Merlin couldn't help but laugh again. "Don't have a heart attack. I mean that my destiny is to be by your side, like I always am. I thought we'd covered this?"

Arthur's expression lessened from shocked death to something more understanding. He didn't fully get what Merlin's destiny was, but he understood what Merlin was trying to tell him. Or he thought he did at least. He waved Merlin away and Merlin's eyes twinkled as he smiled before he left the room, leaving Arthur to his thoughts.

That had gone rather well, he thought. Arthur still didn't know, and Merlin hadn't _completely_ lied.

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**8x01 – Arthur overhears Uther and Merlin talking**

Arthur walked slowly toward the tower in which Gaius and Merlin lived, thinking. A lot seemed to have happened, and yet nothing seemed to have happened, in the past few days. They'd saved a village from arsonists. Arthur met Prince Tristan of Cornwall and somehow gained his allegiance. He and Merlin had brought the arsonists back to Camelot for trial and they'd been given the death penalty. The execution had been rather quiet, when compared to the execution of sorcerers. Arthur had been confined to his quarters for sneaking off like that without warning, and today was his first day of freedom since.

And boy did he have a ridiculously long list of things for Merlin to do today. Arthur smirked just thinking about it. Just as he reached the door to Gaius's chambers, Arthur stopped. The sound of shouting was coming through the wood and Arthur was certain the voice was his father's. Arthur stopped just outside the door and leaned his head against the wood. Who cared if he was the prince? His father was yelling and he was bloody curious.

"Need I remind you how _thin_ a line you're treading, boy? This sort of act," Uther cut himself off. "I don't want to see it anymore. Am I in any way unclear?"

"No, sire. Sorry, sire," Merlin's voice barely made it through the wood.

"I've spared you before, but be aware: If I catch you again, I may very well change my mind about you! Consequences be damned!"

"Yes, sire," Merlin mumbled again.

Arthur couldn't handle it anymore. He knocked on the wood and pushed the door open at much the same time. "Merlin, you'd better be up by now or-" he stopped abruptly, his eyes widening. "My god, what happened in here?" he asked incredulously. Uther gave him a foul look. "Sorry."

But really, what? Gaius's leech tank was on its side, half cleaned, with two dirty rags lying in a dirty soapy mess inside it. The broom was lying in the middle of the floor and there was a pile of dust nearby that appeared to have been blown apart. Many of Gaius's books were strewn across the floor haphazardly and there was a duster sitting precariously on a high shelf. There were three broken vials on the ground near Gaius's worktable. Gaius's 'kitchen' table was all wet and dripping with yet another rag sitting, soaked, on top of it.

"Ar-," Merlin cut himself off. "My lord," he amended with a small bow of his head. "Did you need something?"

Arthur tore his gaze from the mess of the room and focused on his manservant. "Yes," he said primly. "You need to come with me. There's a lot to be done today, and very little daylight to do it in. And you're late."

"I was helping Gaius clean," Merlin explained. "While he helped the townspeople today."

"Well, that can wait. Let's go," Arthur ordered. Inwardly he sighed. So his father was yelling at Merlin for being an idiot again. Why was he not surprised? And why was he so let down? What had he expected to find? Something untoward or illegal? Something magic?

Merlin nodded. He bowed to Uther, deeply, and then hurried to follow Arthur from the room. Uther sighed after they were gone. He rubbed his temples. He so did not need this sort of stress! How had Merlin hidden his magic for so long? It seemed that since he'd found out about it, every time Uther saw Merlin the boy was performing magic! Like moments ago, when Uther had arrived to speak with Gaius and found the chores doing themselves while Merlin sat on the stairs to his room, reading a book! A probably magical book!

"I'm not sure I can handle this," Uther murmured tiredly. "That boy will be the death of me."

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**11x01 – Morgana visits Merlin in the stocks**

SPLAT!

Merlin groaned, blinking the tomato out of his eyes. He swore the townsfolk were getting better aim every time. It'd been a long time since Merlin had been put in the stocks, but Arthur, it seemed, was not so forgiving of Merlin as he'd been of Morgana.

The kids and teens who'd been throwing the food frowned at their empty baskets. They were out of rotten vegetables. Merlin held his breath. After a long moment, they took their baskets and left. Merlin let out the breath. Only a few more hours and he'd be let loose. He only hoped they'd run out of food for the whole day and not just a few minutes.

The entire area seemed to shift and Merlin turned his head to the right as best he could. Morgana appeared to simply morph into existence next to him. She meandered slowly around to his front and stood two feet away.

"Morgana," Merlin let out quietly.

Morgana looked as beautiful as always. Her long dark hair was braided down her back with small ringlets left to hang loose about her face, with a small golden circlet on her head. Today her dress was black with bits of green hinted here and there. She looked down at Merlin with a calculating look Merlin couldn't decipher.

"You're in the stocks today," she pointed out needlessly, with a royal grace. "Arthur seemed pretty fond of you yesterday…What did you do this morning to make him mad?" she asked, a teasing smile quirking at her lips.

Merlin frowned. "It's not something I did this morning that landed me in the stocks," he revealed. "He was all good and fine in forgiving you for your gifts," Merlin said softly, so no one else would overhear, "but he wasn't so giving with me. I suppose it's because he knows I won't get back at him."

"What did you do?" she asked again, as if Merlin hadn't just avoided her question.

Merlin looked at the ground for a moment before glancing up at Morgana through his sodden bangs. "Two years ago I tried to kill you."

For a long moment Morgana simply stood there, staring at Merlin with wide eyes. Her hands clenched each other tightly. Finally, her stance relaxed and her gaze softened. "Perhaps," she admitted with a small nod, "but you've apologized to me twice now, I believe. The first time, I didn't accept it. This last time, however…," She nodded in consideration, "I trust you. You apologized in front of Arthur, knowing what he might do to you once he knew….I think that proves you really do feel sorry for what you've done."

Morgana reached out toward Merlin, who did his best not to flinch. She wiped a bit of tomato juice from his cheek and some vegetable leaves from his hair.

Looking directly in Merlin's eyes, Morgana quietly said, "I'll be trusting _you_ to protect me against Morgause too….just as much as Arthur. My life is in both your hands." It took a moment, but Merlin managed a short nod. Morgana smiled gently and stepped back away from him. "Good then. I'll go talk to Arthur about this," she motioned to the stocks, "For now, enjoy yourself, Merlin."

With a wicked smirk, she was gone. Merlin watched her go as best he could. "I think," he muttered, facing forward again, "I just got forgiven." A small smile caused the corners of his lips to twitch upward. Then a potato hit him square in the jaw and the smile was gone. "OW!" he groaned loudly. Where on earth had that _come_ from?

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**14x01 - On Uther knowing Merlin's magic**

Merlin folded Arthur's quilts down, fluffed the pillows, and tucked in the edges under the mattress. He folded Arthur's pants and put them away. All the while, Arthur watched him from the table where he was munching absently on the last of his breakfast ham. His bright blue eyes followed Merlin's every move.

When Merlin was finished putting away the rest of Arthur's laundry, he turned to the fireplace across the room. A sideways glance at Arthur saw him glance at the fireplace as well before his eyes once again focused on Merlin. Merlin took a semi deep breath and focused on the wood in the fireplace.

"Bærnan," he said, clear but soft.

Arthur's eyes widened as Merlin's blue irises turned gold and he flipped to face the fireplace just in time to see the wood catch fire. With a smile, Merlin's eyes faded back to blue and he moved to the table to begin cleaning up the dishes from Arthur's breakfast. Arthur watched the fire as it crackled contently in the hearth. He would never admit it aloud, at least not in the Prince's presence, but Arthur's fascination with Merlin's magic made Merlin's heart soar and he almost giggled in his joy every time.

Just as Merlin was lifting the tray from the table, Arthur said, "Merlin. Wait."

Arthur's tone of voice stopped Merlin more than the actual order. He set the tray back on the table and pulled the extra chair over so he could sit across from Arthur. "What?" he asked simply.

For several moments, Arthur continued to stare at the fire. When he turned and Merlin could see his full face, Merlin saw the curiosity in Arthur's eyes. "I have a question for you, Merlin, and I want you to answer me truthfully or else," he said decisively, his gaze determined.

Merlin nodded. "Alright."

"I learned of your magic less than a week ago," Arthur began almost as if he were addressing royal business in the court. "Since then, I've begun to wonder. Who else knows about you?"

'Oh dear,' Merlin thought. He gulped. "W-well," he stuttered, his eyes shifting to the side to stare at Arthur's shoulder instead of his eyes. "Uh, Gaius….He knew the moment I walked into his chambers when I first came to Camelot. I didn't have a whole lot of control back then and I just used magic without thinking about it almost as soon as I saw him."

Arthur nodded. "Mmhmm…Anyone else?" He placed his elbows on the table and placed his hands together, staring at Merlin over his clasped fingers.

Merlin shrugged helplessly, still watching Arthur's shoulder. "….Lancelot," he revealed. He saw Arthur's eyebrows raise from the corner of his eyes. "Yea…I sort of….used magic to help defeat the griffin…and he heard me…And…," Merlin's eyes narrowed and he shook his head, "No. He's dead so I suppose he doesn't count."

Interest peaked, Arthur sat up straighter. "Who?" he asked. Merlin shook his head again. "Come on, who?" He didn't remember anyone dying recently.

Merlin's eyes lifted to Arthur's face and his gaze was so full of sorrow that Arthur instantly regretted asking. "My father….Balinor." Arthur's eyes widened and Merlin focused on the grain of the wood of the table beneath his hands. "Right before he…..I can do a lot of stuff, but still….I couldn't….." He couldn't finish.

Arthur's mind was jumbled. Merlin's father was _Balinor_? But that meant….Merlin was a Dragonlord! What exactly did that mean for him? For Arthur? For Camelot? Then Arthur noticed Merlin's downturned face and the depression in his voice. Arthur's gaze turned soft. It really made sense now….why Merlin had been crying that day in the woods. Arthur could wonder about the repercussions of Merlin's heritage later. Right now Merlin needed him.

"So," he began softly, "anyone else?"

Several seconds passed in silence, with Arthur simply watching Merlin's shoulders rise and fall with his silent breathing. Then Merlin cleared his throat and lifted his eyes to Arthur's again. In them Arthur saw the sadness as Merlin slowly pushed it back and away for another time. "Well," he said a bit hoarsely. He cleared his throat again. "Well," and this time his voice was normal again, "my mom, obviously," he joked weakly.

Arthur smiled. "Obviously," he agreed in a light voice with a shrug of his shoulders. "Go on."

Merlin cast his eyes around the room again, looking like he was considering his next words carefully. "Morgana," he revealed at length, his gaze coming back to rest on Arthur. "Morgause." Arthur nodded contemplatively. He'd been considering this for awhile and had expected those two. "Pretty much anyone who's tried to kill you or Camelot." Arthur narrowed his eyes at Merlin and Merlin gave a sheepish smile. His smile faded. "Tristan."

"Tristan? How on earth could Tristan know? You knew him for a few hours," Arthur nearly whined.

Merlin blushed, looking shamed. "He…heard me call the rain. I didn't think anyone was close enough to hear me, but he talked to me about it while I was packing the horses that morning."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Unbelievable," he muttered. Part of Arthur was upset that _Tristan_, who was 'impressive', had known about Merlin's secret before Arthur had, even though Arthur had known Merlin much longer. For that matter, Lancelot too! "Ok. Prince Tristan knows. Anyone else I should know about?"

Merlin tensed and his eyes shot away to stare at the air to his left. Arthur felt his own shoulders tense and suspicion crept in.

"Merlin?" he asked slowly. Merlin shrugged silently but didn't look at him. "Merlin, who else knows?" Arthur asked almost darkly.

"I," Merlin started, but stopped himself. He glanced at Arthur but quickly looked away again. "Ok, you have to promise not to have me killed."

"Merlin," Arthur said warningly. Merlin flinched and stared at the table top. He spoke but it was so soft Arthur didn't catch any of it. "What?"

Merlin took a deep breath and stared up at Arthur from under his bangs, which were just long enough to allow it. It was almost endearing. "Your….Your father."

At that moment, Arthur was pretty sure his body had turned to stone. Merlin looked slightly panicked and rushed to explain.

"It's just that, the seer from the canyon mentioned the sword and I _told_ you I'd let your father use it on accident before, remember? Apparently he knew what the seer was talking about and so he knew I was a sorcerer. I went to talk to him and there was a lot of tension and I don't really remember what we said, but he didn't kill me, and then on his birthday he said I could live and it's just been…._really_ complicated and I _swear_ I was going to tell you, I just didn't know how to start," he said emphatically.

For a long time, Arthur just sat there without moving. He didn't blink and it didn't even seem like he was breathing. Almost a full minute after Merlin shut up, he took a deep breath.

"Arthur?" Merlin ventured cautiously.

"Merlin," Arthur replied stiffly, still not moving anything but his lips. "Merlin," he repeated, this time a bit gentler. His eyes shifted to focus on Merlin's face and he gave a smile so soft that angels would be jealous. "Merlin," he said almost tenderly.

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Merlin hit the hard, straw covered ground heavily as the lock snapped shut on the cell door. He jumped up and flipped around just as Arthur was walking away.

"And you can stay there all month for all I care, you insufferable cretin!" Arthur called out over his shoulder angrily before he vanished up the stairs.

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I have planned a few others, though I can't promise when they'll get written. If you want any specific scene written (even stuff that could occur after part 14), let me know in a review! Thanks for reading!


	16. A Query to the Waiting

Dear readers,

I have a very important question to ask of you.

In the sequel to this story, to be called _The Once and Future King_, **do you want me to declare a pairing?** If so, what pairing? Arthur/Gwen? Arthur/Merlin? Keep Arwen and Merthur about equal? What about Gwen/Lancelot? Any side pairings I've mentioned or hinted at that you would like to see more of?

I'm still at the stage of writing (with several chapters written but not beta'd) where I can add and edit scenes to include a growing, closer relationship between characters. I just need your opinions to know where to aim Cupid's arrows.

Sincerely,

Jessica

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**P.S.** As a way to peak interest after several years gone, I'm including the titles for the new adventures to come in The Once and Future King. Ready? In alphabetical, not chronological, order (gotta have some surprise, I guess):

An Age of Darkness

The Cup of Life

Dawn of a New Age

The Death of a King

The Greatest Truth

The Green Knight

The Impending Crisis

Merlin's Return

My Fair Lady

The Once and Future King

The Phoenix, Part I

The Phoenix, Part II

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Worst Wishes

Titles are subject to change, but that's them as they are now. I've got a little over half of them written, out of order (oops), still waiting to be beta'd. I'm not saying I'll be done really quick, but know that I _am_ writing it. If you would like to see updates on my progress, you can search the "TOAFK" tag on my tumblr "JessicaMDawn".

Thank you for reading and I hope to have the sequel up soon, if life (and writer's block) doesn't get in the way.

**P.P.S.** I'll be removing this chapter when I post the sequel. (unless I get yelled at by the site about posting it in the first place)


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